First talks on meat automation begin

Press, 3 September 1981, Page 4

First talks on meat automation begin

The meat industry’s new technology consultative committee met in Christchurch yesterday, but the chances of an early consensus on automation are slim. The committee’s chairman, the Christchurch industrial conciliator, Mr Len Fortune, said after the meeting that there would be another meeting in Wellington next week, and that vould be followed by many more. The committee, set up at the initiative of the Freezing Companies’ Association, has no power of decision. Mr Fortune said that When all •matters had been considered, the committee would try to find a formula or a set of

guidelines that the employers and unions could then use as a basis for local agreements. They would not be forced to accept the guidelines. Mr Fortune said the consultative approach was new and exciting, and he thought it would work. He said that the committee yesterday had discussed the Finegand agreement worked out between the Meat Workers’ Union and Waitaki N.Z. Refrigerating, Ltd, this week. The committee had no objection to it. The agreement provided that no employee at the works whose; job was taken away or reduced by th» introduction of automate 1 weighing

machines would be disadvantaged in pay or conditions. Mr Fortune said that the biggest hurdle to be overcome was the union’s insistence that the total number of meat workers employed should not be reduced through the introduction of the new technology. The committee has four representatives from the two meat workers’ unions, one from the Freezing Industries Clerical Officers’ Union, one from the Engineers’ Union, one from the North Island Electrical Workers’ Union, one from the Public Service Association.rand seven from the Freezing Companies’ Association.