Freezing companies’ offer now 13.5 per cent

Press, 22 October 1980, Page 2

Freezing companies’ offer now 13.5 per cent

Conciliation; talks on the Meat Workers’ Award have been adjourned until next week, the employers having increased their offer on wages from 13 per cent to 13.5 per cent and the-unions lowering their claim from 17 per. cent to : 16.5 per cent. ‘ Mr. A. J. Kennedy, secretary "of the Meat Workers' Union, said that the employersjhad said-that their offer was -'contingent on an agreement on retirement age.

The award has no clause on retirement, but the companies want to introduce one which would mean that meat workers would retire at the end of the season in which they are 65. The union at present was not prepared to concede that counter-claim, said Mr Kennedy. The employers had indicated that they might be prepared to have a “phasing in”

I period for retirement, whereby employees would: be given- notice two pr three years before they were 65, he said.- [' • • The issue of freezer temperatures had not , been raised in conciliation, said Mr Kennedy. Nor 'had . the employers brought the question of automation into conciliation talks. Separate, meetings were being held to discuss that issue. / . '

Mr Kennedy said- that he! had’ not yet had time to start organising .the secret ballot of union members ,on the issue of.whether to have, a national load-out ban from November 10. The ballot was called for at a meeting of the Auckland and New Zealand unions on October 13 over the • issue of the Southdown works’ closing. Mr Kennedy said he hoped to start work on the ballots next week.