Workers take hard tack

Press, 29 July 1978, Page 1

Workers take hard tack

The Canterbury Trades Council and about 3QO workers at Aulsebrooks biscuit and confectionery factory have decided to fight to preserve jobs at the fac-

tory. Although no firm decision by A. B. Consolidated Holdings, Ltd, has been made to close all or part of its St Asaph Street plant, the local management has made recommendations which are expected to be considered by the board of directors next Thursday. It has been rumoured that the company might move its biscuit-making plant to Auckland and cut some of its confectionery lines.

The 10 unions whose members work at Aulsebrooks requested help from the Trades Council after news of the possible cuts leaked a.week ago. A report was prepared and yesterday Trades

Council officials talked with management in the morning and spoke to a stopwork meeting of all the workers in the afternoon.

The workers and the Trades Council have resolved to resist steps which will result in lost jobs. The council has been given a mandate to co-ordinate any action that might be necessary to this end. If it came to a fight, the constituent unions of the Trades Council would report back to their members and ask them if they would support the Aulsebrooks workers. If they did, a black ban would probably be imposed.

It is believed the management of Aulsebrooks agreed to “open its books’’ to a limited degree to representatives of the Trades Council.

It is thought this would show that losses being incurred in some sections would necessitate the rationalisation.