Freezing Dispute Still Deadlocked

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32214, 5 February 1970, Page 1

Freezing Dispute Still Deadlocked

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 4. The Longburn freezing works dispute remains deadlocked in spite of attempts by the Minister of Labour (Mr Marshall) to find a solution.

Mr Marshall is believed to have made a proposal relating to a return to work at Longburn which was relayed to the president of the Wellington Freezing Workers’ Union (Mr F. B. Thorn) by the president of the Federation of Labour (Mr T. E. Skinner).

But attempts by Mr Thorn to negotiate today failed when the manager of the Longburn works (Mr T. M. Hastie) denied any knowledge of] the proposed settlement.' Mr Thorn said he had made a special trip to Palmerston North to discuss the proposals

but had only been greeted with the written notice of dismissal for 300 men. “When Mr Hastie is finally informed of the details of the proposed settlement, he can -contact me," Mr Thorn said : “But as weU as negotiating a return to work along the lines proposed, he must also give a written undertaking that all the men he has dismissed are re-employed,” he i said.

Hourly Rates I The Longburn dispute is affecting the national issue lof increased wages for mutton I slaughtermen. Tomorrow is the eleventh i day mutton slaughtermen ihave worked on hourly rates, on which they process 64 animals each a day, instead of the piece-work rates under which they process 100 a day. The ban on piece-work rates followed a breakdown in negotiations on an interim: wage increase for the slaughtermen, and the unions have! irefused to discuss a counter: I offer of talks on a new award; I for the whole industry till! I the Longburn dispute is re- : Isolved. Taranaki Talks ( A meeting between repre-! sentati.es of Taranaki freezing workers' unions and Fed-1 erated Farmers will be held next Tuesday to discuss the! freezing works dispute, the! Press Association reports. ! The Hawera meeting will; be attended by the provincial r executive of the Taranakil branch of Federated Farm-1 ers; union representative*!

from Waitara. Eltham, Hawera and Patea are expected to be present.

The New Zealand Freezing Workers’ Association met in Christchurch yesterday for the first day of its three-day annual conference. The general secretary (Mr F. E. McNulty) said afterwards that most of the time had been spent discusing the present dispute, but no statement would be issued in the meantime.