Union says workers made ‘pawns’

Press, 20 November 1987, Page 2

Union says workers made ‘pawns’

By RICHARD CRESSWELL

Workers at the Fortex meat processing plant near Ashburton had become political pawns, said the assistant general secretary of the Meat Workers’ Union, Mr Tiny Kirk, last evening. Mr Kirk was responding to an assertion in yesterday’s edition of “The Press” quoting the Opposition’s spokesman on agriculture, Mr John Falloon. Mr Falloon said a petition had been presented to the Labour Court which showed that 88 per cent of the plant’s staff supported a second killing shift. Mr Kirk said the petition had read that those who signed supported the shift’s introduction for lamb slaughtering at the plant and wished to see an early start “after negotiated agreement” (on October 28 and 29). “The workers are being used as pawns for political purposes and we resent the politician’s in-

terference,” he said. He said also that he had heard rumours of victimisation. The union did not condone such action. One member of Parliament had said that she had been told that workers who tried to cross the picket line were being intimidated by union members. The company and the union resume negotiations on Wednesday. Mr Kirk said that progress would depend on whether the talks would have to start from scratch again or whether the parties could continue where they left off. “This issue is not a matter of wages, it hinges on conditions.” The union did not want to go outside normal pay rates for the shift, but it did seek a shift and transport allowance. The company had “virtually agreed” to those conditions in previous negotiations, Mr Kirk alleged. Farmers’ view, page 7