WESTFIELD DISPUTE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 132, 1 December 1938, Page 11

WESTFIELD DISPUTE

DECISION AT MEETING

NO /SECRET; BALLOT

(By Telegraphs—Press Association.)

AtrCKLAND, This Day,

As a result of a decision reached at a mass meeting this morning the majority of the 800 Westfield Freezing Works' employees, who have been idle since' Monday, will resume work at one o'clock this afternoon. Butchers and boners will not start until tomorrow morning, since all that those resuming this a*fternoon are required to do is in connection with preliminary operations. ' Contrary to expectations the decision was 'not made by secret ballot but in open meeting. It was x considered that a ballot was unnecessary. The meeting lasted about half an hour^ A,telegram, v^as received from the Prime' Minister' expressing willingness to assist in facilitating the hearing of the. dispute, by constitutional means. This -was received enthusiastically.; The next step in connection with the dispute 'will be; the lodging with the Arbitration Court of an appeal against the decision of Mr. A. J. Gil-. mour, Industrial Magistrate, on the disputed clause iri .the award, which says.; •that not more than 35 workers shall be employed on any. one chain. The application will be lodged in Wellington by the New • Zealand Freezing Workers' Association.. The Court will probably be asked to exercise its powers in remedying any defect which it may find to exist in the award. Apparently the good feeling of the meeting, which was held at the Trades Hall, had.niuch' to do with the fact that a secret .ballot was not taken. Officials of the union explained afterwards that had certain circumstances.existed a secret ballot might have been essential but it so happened that not a single .request Was heard for it this morning. "I do not think the atmosphere of the meeting could, have been more harmonious," said the union secretary, Mr". Sill, after the executive had reported to him on developments. "There was no sign' of any ill-feeling between sections of the workers and, although at first a few seemed to think a premature step had.been'taken the decision to resume was practically unanimous." .. v- . ' The meeting was rounded off with a brief session of community singing of such songs as "Pack Up Your Troubles" and "Rainbow on the River." The meeting also carried a resolution of continued confidence in the executive members and secretary of the union. .