FREEZER AWARD ‘No Lower Limit On Temperatures’

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30828, 13 August 1965, Page 12

FREEZER AWARD ‘No Lower Limit On Temperatures’

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, August 12.

Freezing workers were bound by an agreement at the last conciliation proceedings to work in freezers at any temperatures, Mr H. J. Hayes, works superintendent of Thomas Borthwick and Sons, said today.

He was commenting on a dispute between members of the Freezing Workers’ Union and the management of Borthwicks which has led to the dismissal of 13 freezer hands at the Waingawa works The union says the new works manager refused to adhere to the terms of an agreement by his predecessor, stipulating the minimum temperatures at which freezer hands were required to work. Mr Hayes said that at some date after the last conciliation proceedings the Wellington union sought exemption from the section of the award which required its members to work in any temperatures. “However, the Arbitration Court rejected the union’s application and it is therefore bound to the existing award. “This means that the employer is within his rights to ask the men to work in any temperatures. “In an effort to achieve industrial harmony at Waingawa, Borthwicks offered to do everything within its power to prevent temperatures from dropping to unreasonable levels in freezers and whenever possible to maintain temperatures at around nine degrees Fahrenheit. “In certain stores at certain times of the year it is impossible to prevent temperatures falling below nine degrees Fahrenheit and it was an incident of this nature that took

place at Waingawa on Monday,” Mr Hayes said.

Possible solutions to the Waingawa freezing hands’ complaints had been discussed but only one formal offer had been made, Mr Hayes said. This had been rejected by the Waingawa branch of the union.

If the Waingawa freezing hands were prepared to return to work under the terms of the present freezing workers award Borthwicks would be only too willing to seek conciliation through the recognised channels, Mr Hayes said.