Easiest change in shift work

Press, 19 April 1986, Page 1

Easiest change in shift work

By NIGEL MALTHUS The easiest changes to implement arising from the settlement of the Meat Workers’ Award are those relating to shift work. The industry has already identified Increased cutting capacity as the main requirement for meeting market demand for more highly processed meat.

The options, then, were to build additional cutting and boning rooms, at a cost of about $5 million each, or to seek increased use of existing facilities. Mr Paul Hemsley, information officer of the Meat Industry Association, said that a survey of meat companies was made last September to gauge industry support for the introduction of shift work. According to the survey, 28 out of 41 plants would have shift work introduced in the lamb-;cutting and boning rooms, he said. Mr Hemsley said that

shifts were already worked at two plants, Burnside and Wairoa, both owned by Waitaki International. The company had negotiated local agreements in each case, covering the boning rooms and some ancillary areas.

A shift agreement in the national award would allow other companies more easily to follow suit, he said.

The immediate impact of agreement on the introduction of new technology is harder to assess. Mr Hemsley said that the employers were seeking greater flexibility when bringing about change, but he cautioned against expectations of immediate reductions in killing charges and increased productivity. However, without the agreement in the Meat Workers’ Award it was “a struggle” to get new equipment installed and in use.