Rixen workers ‘shocked and hurt’

Press, 13 November 1981, Page 1

Rixen workers ‘shocked and hurt’

PA Wellington Rixen workers, shocked and hurt by reported union comments on the Levin sitin. would probably have voted yesterday to leave the factory, said a shop steward, Mr Norman MacFarlane, last evening. "It has knocked the guts clean out of the girls and me. and I don't get knocked very easily ” Mr MacFarlane said. The secretary of the Clothing Workers’ Federation, Mr F. B. Thorn, was reported yesterday morning as saying the sit-in could end today when the Federation of Labour and the clothing

workers' president. Mrs Joyce Hawe, visit the factory. “I think the dispute should be looked at carefully with a view to some finality very soon.” Mr Thorn said. Though the redundancy fight would continue "there’ comes a time when leaders must lead, and have an obligation to do so." Mr MacFarlane said he thought the union had let them down by not informing the workers first. “We are very deeply hurt and shocked. It is the first time we have been unstuck — it just bowled us." Mr Thorn's remarks could make the workers more

determined to stay in the factory, Mr MacFarlane said. "At the moment they are saying they will stay, but if a vote had been taken today I think they would have all stopped the sit-in because they were so wild." Mr Thorn said last evening that he was surprised by Mr MacFarlane's reaction. “I cannot see why they should feel shocked, hurt, or let down. They know my views quite clearly up there and when I go before my national clothing workers' conference in Nelson I expect to be able to give my report as I see it." The conference was of national importance and the news media were present, he said. The chairman of directors of Rixen Agencies. Mr Ken Dungey, said the Federation of Labour’s secretary. Mr K. G. Douglas, asked him yesterday to meet again to try to get a redundancy settlement. He had refused. There was no chance redundancy would be paid, he said.