Union Seeking Seat On Dairy Board

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32018, 19 June 1969, Page 28

Union Seeking Seat On Dairy Board

(New Zealand Press Association) HAMILTON, June 18. Employees should be able, by right, to influence situations within their industry, says the Dairy Workers’ Union in a letter to the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Taiboys).,

The union is applying to the Government for a seat on the Dairy Board. In the letter, the national secretary, Mr S. I. Wheatley, called for an atmosphere of “co-operation, mutual respect and tolerance” in conveying the application to the Minister. Situations and regulations within the industry affected the employee, directly or indirectly, as well as society as a whole, Mr Wheatley said. A number of workers had left the dairy industry because they felt the industry could not offer continued sec-

urity of employment. This trend must be arrested. Mr Wheatley referred to the occasional diversion of large quantities of milk to a different type of factory. This was usually at the request of the Dairy Board, but while the alteration was necessary it had social and financial consequences for the workers. If the reason for the changes was not known to the workers through their union, an area of conflict emerged, he said. Dairy Board officials have declined to comment on the request.