Freezing worker "action' on sheep

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33453, 7 February 1974, Page 14

Freezing worker "action' on sheep

Freezing workers in Canterbury are threatening direct action — “very strong direct action” — to stop a planned shipment of 32,000 live sheep to Iran from Bluff next week. They will also take the issue to the Federation of Labour.

I he Farid Fares, the ship which has been carrying the i controversial live sheep cargoes from .\cw Zealand to Iran, will berth at Bluff a week from today and leave on February IS.

“We cannot, and will not. accept this," the secretary of the Canterbury .Meat Workers' Union (Mr. W. R. Cameron) said last evening. "This is it. Talking seems tn have failed and the only thing left is for us to make the point as forcefully as we can,” he said. Mr Cameron declined to action would take, but it would be “very strong." During the last few months,) the converted cruise liner has shipped liv® sheep from Tauranga. Napier and Timaru.i A violent controversy overt the methods used in loading and shipping the old ewes to Iran for slaughter flared during the ship’s stay at these ports.

Further, the freezing workers hatve campaigned; against the shipments, saying that they are taking work which should be done by New Zealand slaughtermen in New Zealand freezing works. Govt “■(leaf" “We have asked the Government to stop these shipments and 'there has been nothing done. We have done all we can through the regu-i lar channels and it looks as though it is over to us." “But anything going from a South Isktnd port, as this’ shipment is, directly affects; our members,” he said. "This is very, very serious. We regard it as the most im-j portant and most dangerous; issue facing our members.” Talks sought Mr Cameiton said he hoped to reopen discussions with Government officers and members o’f the Cabinet in

the next few days in a bid to stop the shipment. “We know now that shipments to Iran last year from Western Australia alone amounted to 1,200,000 sheep. We don’t want it to grow to this proportion here; we don’t want it here at all. “We are not against shipments of stock for breeding purposes, but this sort of shipment does nothing more ; than take the work away from our men and from the freezing works which have been worked on and modified so they would have the best standards in the world," he said. “It’s farcial to turn around now and ship it away live and leave the works empty.” According to a Press Association message from Invercargill, the ship’s New Zealand agents (Dalgety’s) have said the live sheep would otherwise not have been slaughtered at local freezing works.

o "I don’t know what they mean by local freezing works.; ■- I can only presume they; n mean Southland works,” said| e Mr Cameron. >• At this time of year, the o Southland works are at the; t peak of their lamb killing and very little mutton is killed; i- most of it is carted to Cang terbury works for killing, f Earlier in the season, when e the Canterbury works are at y the peak of their lamb kill, e the reverse applies and so; e freezing works in both pro-i T vinces are kept going! 1 throughout the season. e “This is why the Bluff shipment affects the members of d the Canterbury union,” said; 1 Mr Cameron. “It will affect; a great many people in a - great many jobs, and we will; - also approach the Federation! - of Labour.” ei The Farid Fares will also! i load 18.000 bales of hay to' muse as feed for the sheep and g about 300 tons of frozen mutbon.