Jobs at Belfast works threatened

Press, 16 February 1980, Page 2

Jobs at Belfast works threatened

A decline in beef cattle numbers in the. last two years has affected the profitability of the Belfast beef works of the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company, Ltd. This week* the company warned - 300 workers that unless it found ways to overcome- the downturn in beef killing, it might have to lay off some of them. The company’s managing director GMr D. Morten) said that efforts were being, made to avoid redundancies, and the company felt it should

(keep its work-force informed of the problems. I The report for the year ‘ended August 31 had shown ja downturn of nearly 25 per cent in the beef kill. I Other works in New Zealand have been able to use their plant for killing sheep, but the Belfast works is used only for cattle and pigs. Farmers have been reducing their beef cattle numbers in recent years in favour of sheep. The secretary of the Canterbury branch of the Meat Workers’ Union (Kir W. R. Cameron) said that talks were being held with the company over the problem.