Farmers told to swallow anger about works strife

Press, 26 July 1978, Page 3

Farmers told to swallow anger about works strife

From

DOUG FYFE

New Zealand’s farmers have been told to “rein in” their anger and get together with the other parties involved to help the beleaguered freezing industry. Speaking to the annual conference of Federated Farmers in Wellington yesterday the Dominion president (Mr A. F. Wright, of Canterbury) suggested that farmers should once more quiet their anger and make another attempt to join with the other parties to overcome the problems

that have plagued the freezing industry in the last season.

But he sounded a warning that farmers would not tolerate another season similar to the one they had just put up with. “If good sense and adherence to the proper procedures are again flagrantly disregarded, the federation will expect the Government to bring the full force of the law to bear on the trans-

gressor, whether it be management of the unions.” Mr Wright said that the worst of the fanning in-

dustry’s problems in the last season had been self-inflicted. “What farming needed assistance for was not so much to offset the influence of the hand of God, but the effects of human actions.’’ The blame lay with all sectors, both inside and outside the industry — farmers, freezing company managements, unions, the Government and Government Ministries.

They must all accept responsibility for the performance of the industry in the last year, and all must share responsibility for eliminating

the faults which had come close to bringing the industry to its knees, said Mr Wright.

The public display of desperation on the part of Southland farmers had been perfectly warranted, he said. But in giving expression to their anger, farmers must not create situations that would destroy the last bridge between farmers, employers, and the unions. There was no doubt that many of the wage-relativity problems in the industry could be attributed to “selfish companies” attempting to outbid each other for labour, he said. The proliferation of shed and even individual department wage agreements also made a virtual farce of the national award and were a fertile breeding ground for industrial turmoil.

Mr Wright said the Government had a responsibility to see that the new killing season began on time. Mr Wright, of Annat, in central Canterbury, has been re-elected unopposed as president for a second term.