Oringi dispute settled

Press, 10 February 1982, Page 2

Oringi dispute settled

The management of Pacific Freezing, Ltd, has told the Meat Wotkers’ Union that it will try to have trespass charges against two West Coast North Island branch officials withdrawn as part of a settlement in a dispute over union involvement at the Oringi works near Dannevirke.

The company has also agreed to open* its gates to union officials to enable them to do their normal business in accordance with the meat workers’ award, and to try to co-operate with the W'est Coast branch at the company's Shannon fellmongery.

In return the union yesterday lifted load-out bans on the Pacific Hastings works and the Hawera works of T. H. Walker and Sons. The union had placed the ban on these works because they are part-owned by Dawn Meats, which owns the Oringi works in partnership with W. Richmond. Ltd.

The bans were imposed after the arrests of the West Coast branch president. Mr Roger Middlemass, and his vice-president. Mr Ray Potroz. on January 26 when thev tried to visit* the works.

The union officials are due to appear on the trespass charges in Dannevirke on

February 25. Oringi mea tworkers, however, will continue to fig|it for independent branch status in the national union, in spite of yesterday's agreement. The Oringi workers’ committee is not a party to the agreement and is still adamant that it will not accept sub-branch status in the West Coast branch of the union and that it does not want West Coast branch officials on the Oringi premises. The secretary of the committee. Mr Miles Blake, said that the workers at Oringi were more determined than ever that they would achieve independent status within the union.