Burnside men reject arbitrator’s ruling

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33753, 28 January 1975, Page 16

Burnside men reject arbitrator’s ruling

(New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, January 7 27. Slaughtermen at the Burnside freezing works have rejected the arbitrator’s decision in the dispute over new hygiene regulations.

At a three-hour meeting the 160 slaughtermen rejected the ruling Of the arbitrator. Mr D. H. Benny, who was chairman at talks between the union and the management last week.

The men decided they would stand by their claim. They say they cannot keep

iup the normal killing speed; of 7j lambs a minute on each !chain .and comply with the! ;more stringent regulations at! [the same time. After last week’s meeting\ between the parties, Mr] Benny ruled that the men! would have to keep up their j ! killing speed but they would ■ be given a special hygienel allowance of 13.30 cents an hour. AS INDIVIDUALS The secretary of the Otago and Southland branch of the * Meatworkers’ Union (Mr A. J. Kennedy) said after the I meeting that the men had| rejected the ruling as individuals. 1 He said the ruling was ! largely binding on anyone! employed in the industry but 1

could not apply to the men if they had been sacked by 'the employers. The next move would probably have to come from the Minister Of Labour (Mr ! Faulkner), he said. Mr Faulkner, telephoned jin Auckland, said he was not able to comment on the result of the meeting until he had had discussions with the Labour Department in Wellington tomorrow. The manager of the New Zealand Refrigerating Company’s Bumside works (Mr F. D. Davis-Goff) also Said he had no comment to make until he had been told officially of the union’s decision. : The dispute; now in its ' fourth week, led to the sacking of 600 men at the ! works.