MEN ADAMANT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20209, 30 March 1940, Page 10

MEN ADAMANT

OVERTIME REFUSED FREEZING STORE HANDS LOADING DAIRY PRODUCE WHARF DELAY LIKELY iPor Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. No settlement was reached yesterday in the dispute between 100 chamber hands employed by the Auckland Farmers’ Freezing Company and the employers on the question of overtime work. Since Wednesday the men have refused to work overtime outside of the hours of 8 a.m. anc] 5 p.m. until they are guaranteed a minimum of two hours' employment. A request was made to the men yesterday to work overtime on Sunday night to prepare for the loading of dairy produce for two overseas ships on Monday. The meeting declined the call and the prospects of any settlement are not likely before Monday. The Labour Department and the Internal Marketing Board have been closely in touch with the position. The effect of the men’s stand will be that there will be no produce waiting on the wharves for the customary 8 a.m. start on Monday. As no work is done on Saturdays, the chamber hands will not handle any produce between 5 p.m, on Friday and 8 a.m. on Monday, and it will therefore be about 10 o’clock on Monday morning before produce will reach the ships’ sides. It is probable that this delay in starting loading will be experienced daily until the dispute is settled.