‘Exception’ objected to

Press, 25 February 1978, Page 6

‘Exception’ objected to

PA Wellington The meat export freezing industry yesterday voiced an objection to the Government’s making it an exception when it decided on a return to free wagebargaining. The New Zealand Freezing Companies Association’s secretary-economist, Mr M. .1. McDougal, said that in the light of the industry’s importance to the economy, it seemed that the

Government’s move to restrict the recovery, within the freezing industry only,' of increases in wages to 7.5 per cent of last year’s total wage bill, was a rather hasty and ad hoc policy. “First, a return to free wage bargaining in the meat freezing industry, whose income is basically dependent on world export market prices, can significantly affect ability to pay

and when free bargaining is distorted by discriminatory legislation such as has been applied to the freezing industry, the situation can become serious. “Second, the meat freezing industry would not be so opposed to this type of legislation if it was applied generally to all sectors of the community, thereby eliminating the distortions it creates in relativity between sectors,” said Mr McDougal.