Freezing workers’ numbers fall 23%

Press, 4 September 1989, Page 8

Freezing workers’ numbers fall 23%

PA Wellington The number of freezing workers fell nearly onequarter between June, 1988, and June, 1989, the Meat Industry Association’s annual report says. The killing capacity for sheep fell 11 per cent in the same period. The report said there were 20,753 freezing workers in June, 1988.- A year later there were 15,946 — a decrease of 23 per cent. During the year there were plant or chain closures in Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin. Tradesmen numbers fell from 1449 to 928. Salaried staff and clerical worker numbers.also fell.

Sheep and lamb chains fell from 211 capable of processing 340,000 lamb equivalents a day to 194 with a capacity of 302,000 lamb equivalents a day.

Beef chains rose from 30 to 32, but capacity slipped from 12,442 carcases a day to 12,304.

The association’s chairman, Sir David Beattie, said the year had been one of great stress for the industry. The coming season would see a further reduction in beef and sheep slaughtering because of the drought and herd and flock rebuilding, he said. This would place further pressure on the industry, which already had more capacity than stock. “There is no simple answer to the over-capa-city problem,” he said.