Legislation Held To Be Unworkable

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32359, 27 July 1970, Page 1

Legislation Held To Be Unworkable

Legislation proposed by the Minister of Labour (Mr Marshall) to halt industrial strife at freezing works was unworkable, and was tantamount to making all stoppages illegal, the national secretary of the Freezing Workers and Related Trades Union (Mr F. E. McNulty) said last evening.

Mr McNulty expressed the | concern and opposition of his union to the proposal. I “There is no justification: for introducing it,” he said. "It is being drafted only to satisfy some of the hawks in the National Party.” Referring to a suggestion: by the Minister that a dis putes committee be set up under the proposed legislation, Mr McNulty said that such a committee was pro. vided for under the freezing workers’ award, and had been working successfully for many years. “There is no need to in-

elude this in the law,” he| said. , “As far as the proposal to] enforce killing of stock at! works before stoppages occur! is concerned, we have always] done this. There have been I only isolated cases where this has not been done. i “The suggestion to outlaw! stoppages when stock is ini transit is tantamount to mak-l ing all stoppages illegal.: There is always stock in l transit, and some is on the road for several days.” Mr McNulty said that it! had also been the policy of the union always to clear; stock killed at the works before workers went out |