Union’s claim could ‘cripple industry’

Press, 18 October 1976, Page 6

Union’s claim could ‘cripple industry’

PA New Plymouth The Meat Workers’ Union claim for a new award could cripple the industry, said-the executive director of the New Zealand Freezing Companies’ Association (Mr Peter Blomtield) yesterday.

The employers, at the latest talks in Christchurch last week, had given ground on many issues, including a 3 per cent wage rise that would cost the industry about SBM, said Mr Blomfield, from Wellington. In addition, they had reached a broad agreement on several

(other issues, such as redundancy and some special 1 payments. But the talks had been adjourned by the conciliator 1 after the union had made it * plain that it was adamant 1 about the acceptance of other 1 key issues — a travelling 1 allowance, and payment for : lost time when hygiene regu- 1 lations stopped work. ! t Mr Blomfield said the ' freezing companies had : agreed to consider these two claims and to reply in ‘ writing to the union this J week. "It would cost our in- , dustry about SIOM to imple- , ment, and could set a precedent that would force , millions of dollars on to the .

wage bills of other New Zealand ' industries,” Mr Blomfield said. He appealed to the union to approach negotiation “with intent” so that a new award could be completed soon. He pointed out that negotiations leading to a new award had started more than seven months ago, yet with the start of the killing season this week, there was still no solution at hand. While the lack of progress on a new agreement would not necessarily delay the start to the season, Mr Blomfield said, the employers were anxious to settle the issue as soon as possible. He appealed to the union not to disrupt the start to the killing season, which this year more than ever was vital to New Zealands’ economy.

The secretary of the Meat Workers’ Union (Mr F. E. McNulty) said yesterday that members would be asked at stop-work meetings to give the executive full power to pursue a satisfactory settlement of the award. The question of strike action would be put in the hands of the national action committee. No date had yet been set for this committee to meet. The employers had given a fiat “no” to the question of a travelling allowance—and this was not good enough, Mr McNulty said. “In view of the increased cost of travelling to and from freezing works, this is now a major issue with our members,” he said. The employers had said they would communicate with the union by letter this week, he said. The union hoped the letter would contain positive steps to negotiate the issue.