Men Dismissed At Rubber Works

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31318, 14 March 1967, Page 18

Men Dismissed At Rubber Works

Eleven men were dismissed by the Firestine Tire and Rubber Company of New Zealand, at the firm’s Papanui plant. The dismissals are a direct result of the three-week-old dispute involving carbon black process workers.

The three factories involved in the dispute are those of Dunlop New Zealand, Ltd., Woolston, Firestone, and the Empire Rubber Mills, Ltd., Woolston.

A spokesman for the three companies yesterday said that one company had already found it necessary to dismiss several men and that in the next few weeks redundancy would occur. He said that when yesterday morning’s decision by the rubber workers union to continue its go-slow policy in three local factories became known, it was realised that this could only result in some men being laid off. The go-slow in one section

of the factories had already substantially reduced output. It would progressively reduce the availability of work in other sections. Christchurch carbon black workers are seeking the same penalty rates as their Wellington counterparts. In one category this is 3d an hour and in another, Id an hour.