REFUSAL TO WORK ON SUNDAY

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 85, 4 January 1941, Page 10

REFUSAL TO WORK ON SUNDAY

140 Cool Store Hands Dismissed CLIMAX TO LONG DISPUTE Company Calls For Men To Replace Them (B v Telegraph—l Tess Association.) AUCKLAND, January 3. After refusing for the fourth consecutive week to work on Sunday, approximately 140 chamberhands, employed by the Auckland Farmers’ Freezing Company, Limited, at Export Wharf and King s Wharf cold stores were dismissed this afternoon. They were paid off at 5 o’clock and the company is now calling- for men to replace them.

The men. who are claiming a minimum of £3/3/- for a Sundays work, were asked in a body this afternoon whether they were prepared to work on Sunday tit award rates and under award conditions. All but a handful indicated that they were unwilling to do so, and that they stood by their earlier demands made three weeks ago. The men were not approached individually, but the company, on leraning of the majority decision, announced that all would be paid off at the end of the day’s work. The few who had indicated their willingness to work on Sunday, uplifted their wages with the rest.

“An important development took place at Export and King’s wharf cold stores of the Auckland Farmers’ Freezing Company, Liimted, today, when chamberhands, numbering approximately 140, were told they would be required to load out butter and cheese on Sunday for shipment,” said an official statement issued by the company. “Most of the men refused to work on Sunday as provided in the Freezing ■Workers’ Award, in consequence of which their employment was terminated and the men were paid the wages due to them at 5 p.m. “Over the past few weeks every effort has been made, not only by the company, but also by officials acting on behalf of the Government to get the men to fulfil their obligations according to the terms and conditions provided in the award, but without success,” the statement added. “The position now is that the Auckland Farmers’ Freezing Company requires an equivalent number of men to replace those whose services have been dispensed with. “Dairy produce in large quantities is being sent to the works by dairy factories for freezing and storage and shipment. The matter is one of extreme national importance, as every loyal citizen will realize, and it is obvious that necessary steps must immediately be taken for the resumption of work.”