The Press WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 1961. Auckland Strike

Press, Volume C, Issue 29599, 23 August 1961, Page 14

The Press WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 1961. Auckland Strike

The risks inseparable from the ultimatum of the Minister of Labour (Mr Shand) to the striking cool-store workers at Auckland are plain. If the strikers refuse to return to work, the Auckland Freezing Workers’ Union is deregistered, and free labour is employed, the dispute is likely to spread, with grave consequences to the dairy industry and the national economy. Yet the Government had to make a stand against industrial lawlessness. Even if the strikers’ grievance is more real than it appears to be, they had ample legal remedies to their hand. In addition, Mr Shand has done his best to organise less formal negotia-

tions. Instead of accepting these opportunities, perhaps because they have little faith in the justice of their cause, the strikers have used the damage to New Zealand’s economy through the interruption of butter and cheese shipments as a weapon to compel the submission of the dairy industry and the Government. This form of blackmail cannot be tolerated. In the long run it will cost the country less to resist the demand now and avoid future trouble. Fortunately the latest reports suggest that the strikers may be willing to listen to reason now that they realise Mr Shand is prepared to take a strong line.