Ritual slaughter should begin, meat workers say

Press, 21 November 1979, Page 6

Ritual slaughter should begin, meat workers say

The president of the Fairton sub-branch of the Meat Workers* Union (Mr B. O’Brien), said yesterday that all members of the union at the Fairton works thought that Muslim slaughtermen brought from Iran for halal killing should be allowed to begin their work.

He described the ban by the union on a start to the ritual halal kill as ‘•bloody poor.” He said at the very least ♦hey should be given work in another department. ‘‘They are all experienced knife hands. Their presence is no skin off our noses. They won’t be replacing any local meat workers and. in fact, will get the same pav and be members of the. union.” said Mr O'Brien. The divisional manager (processing) of the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company (Mr J. Drayton) said that the company was anxious that the Muslim slaughtermen be given work to do. They were just “sitting about” at present. The union sub-branch and the company will seek

dispensation from the Canterbury branch of the union. The national secretary of the Meat Workers' Union (Mr A. J. Kennedy) was reluctant to comment on Mr O'Brien's assertions. He said that the situation was explained yesterday to an Iranian interpreter who would tell the Iranian slaughtermen. “The concern being expressed in some quarters is not very well balanced when you consider the action in the Southland works where employers have decided not to open the works," he said. Mr Kennedy said that the Southland companies had refused to open the sheds until they had agreement on manning the mutton chains.

But Mr Kennedy said that the Committee of Inquiry (Mr W. R. Grills) had given a ruling which was binding until December 12. The. Dominion president of Federated Farmers (Mr A. F. Wright) had said that the Southland works could be killing ewes now, said Mr Kennedy. ’Our people say they should be working," he said. The works affected are Alliance at Invercargill. Mataura and Makarewa (Southland Frozen Meat Company) and Ocean Beach. Both the Southland Frozen Meat Company and Ocean Beach Freezing Company are among the nine New Zealand companies that have agreed to

provide halal lamb for the Iranian market.

There is still no sign of a return to conciliation by the union and the freezing companies. The first ship to take the lamb consignments to Iran has arrived at Auckland, reports the Press Association. The Blue Port Line’s Montreal Star berthed yesterday, only to find the first of the 45,000-tonne Iranian export lamb shipment a long way from the wharf. The Blue Port Line says the Montreal Star, which has come from Dubai, will remain at Auckland until her meat shipment arrives. The second ship scheduled to take lamb to Iran is the New York Star. She is due in New Zealand waters on December 5.