‘Single works union’

Press, 26 July 1978, Page 3

‘Single works union’

The time had come when there should be one freezing industry, the Federated Farmers conference was told. The chairman of the Dominion agricultural section (Mr J. B. Falconer), said

that the Federation and the Government had already gone a considerable way with this proposition. The conference then supported a Wanganui remit seeking the establishment of one union in the industry.

The step would require much discussion and a complete job evaluation within the industry, but the Whatnall committee, set up by the Government to study this, was a step in the right direction, said Mr A. F. Wright, the federation’s president. Mr R. W. Palmer (Marlborough) noted that there were as many unions in bne freezing works as there were in all West Germany — 16. The conference also urged that wage rates be settled before the start of the killing season, either by negotiation or arbitration, and that these then be binding on all parties for the whole season.

To provide more killing space, the meeting also sought the use of all facilities at freezing works. One speaker on this subject suggested, however, that a shortage of skilled labour would be an obstacle. One remit the conference rejected recommended that a referendum on voluntary unionism be held at the time of the General Election in November.

One speaker said that the conference had made several positive proposals in the industrial field and it was not fitting for it to start making such recommendations. Another speaker said that the move was only “stirring.”