UNION DECLARATION: Talks Only With Top Management

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32220, 12 February 1970, Page 1

UNION DECLARATION: Talks Only With Top Management

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, February 11.

Freezing workers will continue their ban on piece-work rates indefinitely unless top freezing company officials are prepared to take part in wage negotiations, union officials said today.

In a joint statement, the president of the North Island Freezing Workers’ Federation (Mr F. Barnard), the secretary of the New Zealand Freezing Workers’ Association (Mr F. E. McNulty) and the president of the Wellington Freezing Workers’ Union (Mr F. B. Thorn) said representatives of the employers were deliberately prolonging the dispute over wage increases , for mutton slaughtermen.

Because of the “deliberate procrastination and stalling tactics” the unions from now on were prepared to negotiate only with “top management officials”— jthose who had the power! to make agreements, the (union officials said. They said the decision to continue the ban on piece- ! work rates, now in its third week, had not been taken I lightly but was forced on them by the tactics of the evnploy- ; ers’ represntatives. “We have stated frequently that we want to cause the ! minimum adverse effect on the public and on exports, and because of this we have > not accepted the numerous ' instances of provocation and closed down the whole industry.” the statement said

“In fact in many areas the are jeopardising exports and causing farmers 1 unnecessary hardship by re--1 fusing to put forward suffi- . cient stock for the normal j kill of 64 animals a man under the hourly rates on ■ which mutton butchers are '! working > “In some works men are being sent home at 2 p.m. each day when only 48 anij'tnals a man have been pro- . cessed.” I Under piece-work rates ] each man processes 100 ani- ( mals a day. The three union leaders said that for years freezing , companies had procrastinated >on negotiations for new i awards. The average period .of negotiation had been ; about five months during i which employers represents--1 tives had continually gone - back to their management for I decisions.

But the days of negotiating with representatives' of the Freezing Companies’ Industrial Union of Employers had ended, they said Only the principals of the industry would be dealt with.

The statement by the three officials followed unsuccessful attempts today to reach a settlement of the dispute. In a proposal made known to the Minister of Labour (Mr Marshall) and the Seci retary of Labour (Mr N. S. : Woods) the unions offered to resume norma! work tomorrow if the companies would guarantee that wage rates for mutton slaughtermen were discussed first in subsequent wage negotiations and that such talks would begin quickly A threat to return to work on hourly rates if negotiations broke down was withdrawn on the advice of Mr Woods.

Offer Rejected At a meeting in Mr Woods’s office this morning companies' representatives said the proposal was completely unacceptable but they might make further contact with the unions by 4.30 p.m. At 3.30 p.m the unions were advised that the offer :had been rejected but a coun-; ter-offer could be made tomorrow, the union officials said. Asked if Mr Barnard and: Mr McNulty should delay their return to Auckland and Christchurch the union officials were told “suit yourself.” they said. In view of the continued delaying tactics and the certainty that wage negotiations [for labourers in the industry [would follow the same pro[crastinating course, the decision to deal only with industry leaders had been made.[ they said.

Further Meeting ' Freezing workers at Ngauranga stopped work at 3! p.m. today after a chamber! hand was dismissed. A meet-: ing at 8 a.m. tomorrow will discuss what action to take. And at Auckland’s South-; down freezing works 120! chamber hands walked off the job this afternoon over aj safety issue They are ex-1, pected to resume work tomor- ■ row. A combined meeting of ' members of the Amalgamated ‘ Society of Railways Servants ’ and Railway Tradesmen’s Association at the Otahuhu railway workshops today reaffirmed the decision to carry ( on a rolling strike in sup- ( port of their demand for • direct bargaining on wage , claims. | There were no new developments in the Wainui dispute, | now in its eighteenth week , It is understood that Union!, Steam Ship Company officials', are still considering a Feder-, ation of Labour demand that ' a crew be called for the ship.;. — i !f