Union Fears Rise In Unemployment

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31676, 11 May 1968, Page 14

Union Fears Rise In Unemployment

Unless work was found for them, 1000 freezing workers in the Christchurch district would be added by the end of next month to the 962 persons registered as unemployed in Christchurch, said the general secretary of the New Zealand Freezing Workers’ Association (Mr F. E. McNulty) yesterday.

Mr McNulty Mid that talks his association had just had with the Minister of Labour (Mr Shand) led him to believe that the number of unemployed in New Zealand this winter would be considerably higher than it was last year. “We understand from the Minister that jobs will be found for about 4000 workers throughout New Zealand,” said Mr McNulty. This could mean that after the end of June half the freezing workers in New Zealand —some 5000 to 8000—would be out of work.

A definite policy by the Government to eliminate unemployment. he said, was wanted by his association. The Government was not attempting to adopt a constructive policy to overcome unemployment AU it was trying to do was to “fiU up gaps in

; the situation” with special work in forestry and the railways. Mr McNulty estimated that already about 1000 freezing workers in New Zealand were unemployed. Some of the worst unemployment pockets were Gisborne and Oamaru. The Belfast works of the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company, Ltd, had yesterday slightly reduced its killing and had put some men off, he said.