DISPUTE AT BURNSIDE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29680, 25 November 1961, Page 10

DISPUTE AT BURNSIDE

Chains Refuse Piecework (M2. Pre»s Aaaoefcttton) DUNEDIN. Nov. 24. Burnside freezing workers have decided to work only on hourly rates of pay as. from Monday morning. This could mean a reduction in | killing of about 2000 lambs' a day. I The men have adopted this action in protest against the New Zealand Refrigerating Company's refusal to reemploy eight men who were dismissed at the end of last season. Company officials and leaders of the Burnside branch of the Freezing Workers’ Union are unwilling to make statements on the dispute. Burnside is operating two chains at present and this decision by the union could mean a drop in killing from 9000 lambs a day to 7000. Earlier this week slaughtermen at the works discussed the dismissal of the eight workers. They agreed they wanted an independent chairman to decide whether this action by the company was justified. It is understood the slaughtermen’s protest arises from the fact that some of the men have been refused employment at other sheds in the South Island. Yesterday a meeting at the works endorsed the slaughtermen’s resolution. The meeting agreed to start work on Monday at hourly rates of 8s 9Jd, instead of the usual wage of nearly £5 per 100 lambs.