Confusion over ‘blacklisting’

Press, 13 June 1979, Page 3

Confusion over ‘blacklisting’

Confusion reigns over what is believed to be the blacklisting of two butchers’ shops at Rangiora. Mr D. Moore, proprietor of the two McNeil Bros (1975). Ltd, shops, believes they have been blacklisted. He says the Shop Assistants’ Union asked the Meat Workers’ Union to impose the blacklisting, after he and his wife has kept the shops open during last week’s butchers’ strike. Mr Moore said he had been told by a spokesman for the Shop Assistants’ Union that his shops were blacklisted, and it would be up to the Meat Workers’ Union to lift the ban. The usual supply of meat from the Christchurch abattoir did not arrive at McNeil’s on Friday because the meat carter was apparently told not to deliver it, Mr Moore said. But the meat was from stock killed before the ban was imposed and was allowed to be taken to Mr Moore. It arrived on Monday morning.

“The meat was all right but if it had been left any longer I would have taken a harder look at it,”- Mr Moore said.

Existing stocks of meat at the two shops should last until Friday, he said. If no more meat was delivered, he would have to suspend himself and 10 staff members.

The secretary of the Meat Workers’ Union (Mr A. J. Kennedy), said he was not aware that any butchers’ shops had been blacklisted. “It is the first I have heard Of it,” he said last evening. The secretary of the Shop Assistants’ Union (Mr B. Alderdice), could not be reached for comment last evening.