Dispute Idles All North Island Fertiliser Works

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29801, 18 April 1962, Page 16

Dispute Idles All North Island Fertiliser Works

(A.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, April 17. Fertiliser production in the North Island ceased today when more than 700 members of the North Island Fertiliser Workers’ Union stopped work. All eight works in the island are involved, in the stoppage which is the result of a break-down in conciliation proceedings between the employers and the union.

The stoppage has come at a critical time for farmers who are racing against time to get topdressing completed before ■wet winter weather sets in Each day of the stoppage means a production loss of up to 5000 tona ot fertiliser. Representatives ot the Cargo - Workers, Drivers’. Electrical Workers’ and Railwaymen’s unions will meet officers of the Fertiliser Workers’ Union in Auckland tomorrow afternoon. The companies affected are Kempthorne. Proseer, the New Zealand Farmers’ Fertiliser Company, the Bay of Plenty Co-operative Fertiliser Company, the Challenge Phosphate Company, and the East Coast Farmers’ Fertiliser Company. The stoppage began this morning after stop-work meetings had been held. In Auckland more than 200 workers attended a meeting at Otahuhu. The union secretary (Mr H. J. Chitham) said voting was unanimous that all work be stopped.

The men also stopped work in Auckland on April 5 and 6 and throughout the rest of the North Island on April 6. They returned to work on April 9. A conciliation meeting was then arranged in Wellington for April 13. Representatives of the union, the F OL. and the employers attended the meeting, but no agreement on new awards claims was reached

A statement issued on behalf of the North Island fertiliser manufacturers says the union finally advised it was withdrawing all claims for a new award. The statement says: “The union refused to

accept a 2d an hour increase offered by the employers and refer the disputed matters to the Arbitration Court.” Mr Chitham said the union wanted an hourly increase of 2d. plus a 3d an hour penalty payment as dust money, for all workers in the industry “The employers would agree to pay the 2d an hour increase, but not the penalty payment.” he said. “Alternatively they would agree to pay a 2d an hour penalty rate, but not to increase the award rate.”

Work proceeded without interruption yesterday at the four fertiliser works in the South Island.