Meat Processing Delay Overcome

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30930, 10 December 1965, Page 9

Meat Processing Delay Overcome

The green light had been given to processing meat for export to countries such as West Germany and the Netherlands, after processing had been delayed in various freezing works throughout New Zealand, said the secretary of the Freezing Workers’ Association (Mr F. E. McNulty) yesterday.

The problem of Issuing medical certificates to freezing workers, and workers’ medical mrarni nq fining had caused the delay. The problem had now been overcome

in conciliation in Wellington this week between the Freezing Companies Employers' Union and all freezing workers’ unions in New Zealand, representing 23,000 men. “The freezing companies have agreed to pay all costs of medical examinations,” said Mr McNulty. “Other arrangements have been made that don't deny the right of the workers, under certain circumstances, to go to a doctor of their own choice for examination.” Mr McNulty said agreement also was reached in conciliation on workers' rights if they failed to pass medical examinations.

“If a worker is precluded from performing his normal employment bemuse of the operation of the regulations, he shall bo offered employment in another department at the freezing works, with a guarantee of at least 10 working days, without loss of pay,” said Mr McNulty. The production of a medical certificate had not yet become a condition of employment for a fra ering worker, ha aaML

“They are breaking the ground first It will possibly become a condition of employment” he said. “At present the main question they're concerned wtth la a certificate

of health for any worker who handles meat going to these countries with stringent requirements.” Mr McNulty said freezing companies exporting to such countries had to be able to produce certificates showing that workers who handled the meat were free of communicable diseases.

The freezing companies had undertaken to consult the unions if there was any change by the Agriculture Department to vary health regulations covering medical examination of workers.