Threat Of Milk Vendors’ Strike

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31307, 1 March 1967, Page 1

Threat Of Milk Vendors’ Strike

Auckland milk vendors may call for a nation-wide strike if the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Taiboys) does not give an early and favourable reply to their latest claim for higher delivery margins, says the Press Association.

Canterbury milk vendors would be unlikely to support a, strike. The president of the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Vendors’ Association, Mr N. S. Williams, said yesterday that a general meeting of vendors would be held on Tuesday. “Feelings are so explosive at the moment that a stoppage cannot be excluded from the action they might demand," he said. On February 15 the general manager of the New Zealand Milk Board, Mr B. J. Henderson, announced a 5-8 d a gallon increase in margins —after vendors had asked the Government for 6d a gallon to cover wage increases and the rising cost of living. After an emergency meeting in Wellington last week a deputation from the national federation of vendors saw the Minister and suggested he increase the retail price to fid a pint to give vendors a 23-8 d a gallon Increase in their margins.

The president of the Canterbury Milk Vendors’ Association (Mr P. A. Caithness) said last evening that Canterbury would not support a strike action. “We are very dissatisfied about the marginal increase announced on February 15,” he said. “It is absolutely inadequate and we are most upset about it “But we are not considering taking strike action.”