Union wants load-out pledge discharged

Press, 26 October 1982, Page 13

Union wants load-out pledge discharged

PA Auckland The New Zealand Meat Workers’ Union wants to be discharged from an undertaking that it would not ban load-outs from a Taranaki firm which makes gut tennis racket strings for tennis stars including, John McEnroe. It says that the sacking of a worker at Pacific Natural Gut Strings Company, Ltd, had changed the circumstances under which the untaking was given in the High Court in Auckland in August. It has applied to the court for an order discharging it from the pledge not to place load-out bans on beef intestines normally delivered to the Manaia gut company from North Island freezing works. A load-out ban had previously been laid as the result

of a demarcation dispute involving workers at the Manaia plant, and in return for the pledge, the Court lifted an injunction against the union. The August agreement was that further bans would not be placed pending a High Court review of proceedings involving an issue of membership of the Meat Workers’ Union by workers at the plant. Before Mr Justice Barker, the union appeared in two matters, one of them seeking a motion for review of a decision by the Registrar of Industrial Unions involving the registration of the gut factory workers. The application was rejected sine die, however, because of appeals pending in the Arbitration Court next month.

The union, represented by Mr Jervis Cleary, of Wellington. also claimed that, because of a change in circumstances under which the previous agreement was made it should be discharged from it. The union said that the change in circumstances re- , lated to the unjustified dismissal of a worker at the plant. .Appearing for the Pacific Natural Gut String Company, Ltd, Mr Gerard Curry submitted that the dismissal of a woman involved had been lawful and justified. It was claimed that any dispute between the woman and the company should be resolved by the legal process rather than industrial action and the union's undertaking should remain in force. Decision was reserved.