FREEZING WORKS STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 234, 29 June 1922, Page 8

FREEZING WORKS STRIKE

NO SETTLEMENT IN SIGHT MORE WORKS REOPENING WITH FREE LABOUR PROSECUTIONS AGAINST STRIKERS BY TIhIGBAPH—PMBS ASSOCIATION. Christchurch, June 28. The first batch of summonses in connection with the freezing workers’ strike has been issued- at the instance of the Labour Department. The persons proceeded against are certain Workers who previous to the strike were employed at one or other of the four freezing works around Christchurch who are now alleged to be on strike" In each instance the amount claimed is £lO. Tho Department’s action ha’s been taken under section jj. of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act, 1908, and' the hearing of the information will be taken before a Magistrate' The date- fixed for the hearing is July 13.

TWO MORE WORKS TO REOPEN. BY TEIEGBAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION. Tlmaru, June 28.

It is announced that operations will be resumed at Smithfield and Pareora freezing, works on Monday with free labour.

STRIKERS POINT OF VIEW

“NOT WORRYING THE LEAST BIT”

There is still no prospect of a settlement in the freezing works dispute (states the “Lyttelton Times”)-. .Most of the companies arc busily engaged training free labour, and the men who first downed tools show outwardly little desire to go back to the boards. What will happen this week is a subject of general speculation. Information has been received stating that the freezing workers in Southland decided on Friday night not to resume work. The watersiders are handling meat, and the Bluff freezing companies are working with permanent nanda. Free labour will be l called for to-day. “The men are as good as gold,” said an Islington strike official on Saturday. “They are not worrying tho least bit. They are looking to the Arbitration Court to settle this matter next month.” Does that mean they will go back to work in the meantime? “Not much,” replied tho unionist. “If the Arbitration Court does not give back the os., the fight will continue.” “Fighting tho Battle.” What about the strike extending? ■“I cannot say anything on that. The South Island men are fighting the battle at present, but if it does not end in our favour before the start of next season, the North Island men will take a hand. Previously the North Island men have done the fighting, because tlieir season opened first. Now it is the turn of the South Island. Our men are determined to show the North Island that we can put up a battle.” - ■ What about free labour? /.‘.‘Tho companies are not getting much response to their appeal. Practically the same number of men are going to work morning after morning. Nearly every outeider realises the position—that they will be known as ‘scabs’ for years to come'all over Australia and New Zealand, if they try to break the strike. The companies say they are not worrying. We know they are. “The strike is causing them a lot of trouble. They have spent more money in taxi-cabs during the past fortnight than they usually spend in six months. They regarded Canterbury as the wgak patch in th® union. We will show that we are the strongest. Our chance of winning :is going,up every day.” . Even with the new system of killing ? The idea that the American system will help the bosses can be knocked on the head. It is all right in theory but not in practice. To get it into practice will cost the companies a terrible lot of money. “I can prove that it is absolute rot to say the companies are finding free labour plentiful. They are bringing to North Canterbury permanent hands from- Picton, Irnray, Pukquri, and Smithfield. I am given to understand that these men. were forced to come here or else sacrifice their positions. When the ferry steamer was about to sail with some of them from Wellington on Thursday night, the seamen Held a meeting and considered whether it would be right to bring them down. They were doubtful whether it was right- to travel with them or not. The seameri decided, however, that they were not free labour, but permanent hands. So far eleven motpr-ca.r loads of permanent hands have arrived at Islington. Some of ’ them on Friday werg subject to barrack at the Christchurch railway station. Conditions at Islington. “Th® New Zealand Refrigerating Company has tried to show that conditions at Islington are ideal. They say meat prices are considerably lower here than in Christchurch. I give that an,.absolute denial. The Christchurch consumer gets his meat fresh , and prime. Ours is frozen. Stowing beef costs us fid, a lb.' in Islington as against 4d. in Christchurch; sausages, 6d. a lb. as against 4d. ; and steak is 3d. a lb. dearer. The general store is not able to compete in regard to prices with the private stores in Hornby a.nd Templeton. The staff men deal outside; 99 per cent, of them. If they find it better, surely the weekly wages employees must find it better. The company even put its butter from the- freezer up to Is. Bd. a lb. in sympathy with the increase in Christchurch, when they must have bought the supply considerably cheaper. “In regard to coal, this is what occurred between the works manager at Islington and one of the men about a week ago. The employee asked the manager about coal for the strikers’ wives and families. The manager said ‘Who will take it?’ The employee answered : ‘I will deliver it, with the dray.’ Tho manager then said:' ‘You chaps don’t consider us, and we won’t consider you.’ That is the end of the coal question.”

“THE MASTER KEY” FREE LABOUR UNDER TUITION With the object of defeating ths strike, new methods of slaughtering have been adopted by tho companies, and on Saturday morning Press representatives were shown men at. work under the direction of experience'd permanent hands. The scones were particularly interesting. The idea has been copied from America, and in effect it means that, instead of on® slaughterman doing the whole of the work on a single carcass, twelve men

will take a share. This means in turn that a new man has only, to learn onetwelfth of what he,would have had to learn under the old conditions. “There is even mors in it than that,” said a company representative. If the trouble continues till next season, the North Island slaughtermen will not find themselves in the strong position they imagine, able to hold up tho pick of the farmers’ lambs, just when the Rome market is at its best. The American system solves the whole problem of dictatorship by the skilled butcher, the man who boasts that he ts indispensable, the boss dog in unionism, the holder of the key position. Now, the master key is in- our hands, not that we want to use it except in case of emergency, for many of the slaughtermen arc good chaps, competent and reliable. But they must not be able to hold up operations whenever they choose. The latest method takes care of that and the ordinary freezing works employee is highly delighted that it does so.’ He is tired of having to leave work and lose his pay because of some foolish notion by the slaughtermen.” All Making Progress.

There were gangs of recruits on the boards On Saturday morning, and, even in half an hour, it was surprising to see tho progress they ’ made at the rather intricate task of slaughtering. There seemed full justification Tor the statement that under ths American system three days will make any reasonably handy man competent m his particular portion of the work. Previously there was so much instruction to absorb that it often took twelve weeks to make a competent elaughterman. The learners were of a promising type, well built, and all of them keen about getting to know everything about the business.. Once each sheep was killed the work went forward'systematically, some men skinning, others legging and others dressing, until the carcass was ready for the cool chamber. 'Occasionally, the leader let his pupils into the secret of a knftek that makes all the difference between the properly finished article and tho mediocre. Buyers, drovers, ploughmen, farm bands, clerks, and general labourers were represented, and had a test examination been conducted when the noon whistle went few. of them would have failed to gain something like a proficimcv certificate. The next thing will bo speed. It is claimed that in two more days that will bo attained.