Meat firm in bid to trim jobs

Press, 26 November 1982, Page 6

Meat firm in bid to trim jobs

The Canterbury Frozen Meat Company yesterday took another step in its drive to cut costs.

A meeting of workers at the Canterbury sheep works at Belfast was told that the company wanted a reduction of 76 in the manning level by next January, said a source in the industry. The general manager of the company. Mr J. J. Drayton, would not confirm that number, but said. “Given the state of the meat industry we need to get'a reduction in costs in all areas and at present we are talking with our staff at Canterbury in order to get that reduction in costs.”

At the height of the season the works employs 1170 workers. It started its fifth chain on Wednesday, and the announcement yesterday of cuts in the manning levels came as a surprise to many

at the meeting.

It is believed the workers were told that the target of 76 could be achieved through voluntary redundancies as occurred at the Belfast beef w'orks earlier this month, or if necessary by forced redundancies. The workers were told that each department at the works would be responsible for working out how to achieve its own target.

The secretary of the Canterbury branch of the Meat Workers’ Union. Mr W. R. Cameron, said that negotiations were continuing. The works manager, Mr G. W. Rowe, was at the ingAbout 20 workers in the Cashel Street head office of. the company will also have to go, the Freezing Workers’ Clerical Union was told last week.