Meat workers drop load-out ban threat

Press, 14 December 1985, Page 1

Meat workers drop load-out ban threat

Meat workers will strike on Tuesday and Wednesday in protest against the export of live sheep from New Zealand, 6ut. have dropped their threats of a week-long load-out ban. ■ “Normal killing will start again on Thursday,” said the assistant secretary, of. the Meat Workers’, union; ;Mr ■ Jack Scott?« “We decided there wasn’t much point having load-out bans as there is not much to , load out at present It would be a bit pointless.” He denied they had withdrawn the load-out threat because of a threatened lock-out by the employers, or the closeness of Christmas.

Provided companies were aware of an intended strike they could make arrangements for stock, said a spokesman for the processing companies. The threat of a lock-out was therefore lifted. The ship Merino Express is expected to load 18,000 sheep at Timaru early next week for shipment to Mexico. Freezing workers had threatened to strike while the sheep were loaded and

then to enforce load-out bans for a week afterwards in protest against the sheep export, blit the Meat Industry Association yesterday retaliated with the threat of a lock-out. The chairman of the meat and wool section .of Federated . Farmw Bruce Anderson,' denieda T-umour that fanners' would converge on Timaru during the loading of the sheep. He said the rumour was ' totally unfounded. “In strongly discourage.' farmers from visiting the area. “We expect the loading of the sheep will proceed in an orderly fashion. This is in the interests of all parties concerned,” said Mr Ander-

.son.." ■ Timaru’s Harbourmaster, Captain Alexander Grieve, said the public and news media would be banned from the wharves at. Timaru during the loading of the sheep. Captain Grieve, who has sole discretion over access to the waterfront, said yesterday there would be no access to those not lawfully permitted on the wharves during the course of their duties.