DRIVERS' STRIKE Supplies To Firms Banned

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32358, 25 July 1970, Page 44

DRIVERS' STRIKE Supplies To Firms Banned

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, July 24.

The Northern Drivers’ Union today intensified the strike by frozen food delivery drivers by banning supplies of fuel and sugar to the General Foods Corporation, Ltd, and Birds Eye Foods, Ltd.

It also received support from the Dairy Workers’ Union, members of which are refusing to send raw materials to the two firms.

The Drivers’ Union also turned down an appeal from the city dairy owners that they be allowed to organise a huge van lift to collect supplies from depots. A spokesman for the employers said that since no goods could be delivered they would not be particularly concerned by the widening of the union’s action. The Drivers’ Union secretary (Mr G. H. Andersen) said the union felt it was necessary to strengthen its post-

tion. He would discuss tbe dispute with the Federation of Labour. The 160 drivers, who deliver frozen vegetables, cakes, pies, and ice-cream, want $1.20 an hour, plus a 10c allowance for working with refrigerated trucks. Mr Andersen said temperatures in the food compartments varied from five degrees above freezing point to 25 below. The job had a certain health hazard. The counter-offer stood at $1.20, a rise of 17c an hour, but the employers would not agree to the cold money demand. Some food stores, mainly those with good storage space and facilities to hold extra supplies, appear to have received early information about the stoppage. These stores have ordered extra supplies. Many big stores reported this afternoon that stocks were dwindling fast. The drivers do not plan to meet again until Tuesday. W hangar ei Retailers were forced to collect their own supplies today when Whangarei frozen food truck drivers decided to strike in support of the Auckland men. The manager of General Foods in Whangarei said this morning that 11 drivers for his firm had stopped work. Their deliveries ranged from Wellsford north. The managing-director ’of General Foods (Mr F. W| Orr) said in Auckland this afternoon that a report was being prepared for the Secretary of Labour “The report will be for submission to the Minister of Labour (Mr Marshall) and will be delivered at the National Party conference in Rotorua,” he said. “We are adamant that Government support is more than justified. “Our stand is such now that he (Mr Andersen) can do what he likes. We are just not going on taking this. We have had telephone calls from other employers, and even from a group of unnamed workers commending the company for the stand it is taking.”