Strike Ends In South; Works To Resume Today

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30073, 6 March 1963, Page 12

Strike Ends In South; Works To Resume Today

(New Zealand Press Association) INVERCARGILL, March 5. All seven freezing works in Otago and Southland will resume normal operations tomorrow after a six-day stoppage. Today all companies were advised by the district Freezing Workers’ Union that normal work will resume tomorrow and workers have been advised to start. The stoppage was caused by a district-wide strike in support of workers at the Alliance Freezing Company, who stopped work on February 21 after the management refused to employ Mr Tarewai Wesley.

In Westport tonight, the Minister of Labour (Mr Shand) said: “I am very glad to know that the Otago-Southland Freezing Workers’ Union has realised the position it was leading its men into.”

Drafting wm back in full awing in Southland today and thousands of lambs were on their way' to the works tonight. These, together with numbers of lambs and sheep being held by the companies during the strike, should ensure a full day’s killing. The unknown factor at present is the staffing question. Employers are confident that the men will return in sufficient numbers, but some have ' terminated their employment as a result of the lack of work.

Spokesmen for Southland companies say that the strike has had little effect on farmers, who have had plenty of feed, with the result that they have been able to hold their lambs without bother. In Dunedin, the district executive of the Freezing Workers’ Union decided to comply with the order made by Mr Shand to return to work.

“Dispute Not Settled” “The executive felt it had no option but to accept the ultimatum delivered by the Minister, but the dispute over black-listing can certainly

not be considered as settled as yet,” said the president (Mr P. M. Bulling) after the meeting. Further representations would be made to Mr Shand, he said. The executive had received a full report from himself and Mr B. A. Manson, the other member of the deputation which visited the Minister in Wellington on Monday and considered the order to resume work. The executive resolved to direct members to resume work at 8 a.m. tomorrow. It passed a “minute of tribute” to its members, “for their high-principled action in our recent dispute,” and assured them that “our present setback” was in no way attributable to them. Another resolution passed by the executive “reaffirms its previous conviction on the principle of black-listing of our members, and conveys its thanks and appreciation to the Oamaru, Otago and Southland Trades Councils for their active and spontaneous support in our struggle,” and (this executive) “regrets that those to whom we looked for help failed us.”