MEAT WORKS IDLE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20527, 10 April 1941, Page 4

MEAT WORKS IDLE

DISPUTE AT WESTFIELD SIX MEN DISMISSED SPEED-UP REFUSED HOPES OF SETTLEMENT (I’ur Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. A dispute between the employees in the meat-preserving department at the Westfield freezing works and the management yesterday resulted, in a stoppage of work in that department at about 10.30 a.m. Efforts to coinpose the differences proved unsuccessful and shortly after 2 pan. work ceased in all other departments and the employees, numbering about 1400 held a meeting. The works were idle for the remainder of the day. At the instance of the Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb, who was

advised of the position by telegraph, Mr. C. L. Hunter, the conciliation commissioner, who was in Auckland, went to the works in the afternoon and conducted negotiations. A report of the deliberations were to be put before a mass meeting of the employees this morning. Limitation of Output

An official statement issued by lire management last evening stated: “A stoppage of work occurred to-day in consequence of the decision by a section of male employees in the meatpreserving department to limit the output of the plant. The decision was unacceptable to the management and a number of men were paid off. In consequence of this the employees in the department, numbering about 385, stopped work. “Efforts to settle the dispute were unsuccessful and at about 2 p.m. a general meeting of all employees at the works was called. This involved a cessation of work in all departments and affected about 1400 employees.” Representatives of the employees in the preserving department stated that they had objected to a speeding-up of operations. The management had ordered an increase in output, claiming that it was a war measure. “The employees contended that the working of the plant at its increased output would impose harsh working conditions on the stall' and especially on women and girls, of whom there are about 200 engaged in the cannery,” stated the representatives of the employees. “When six of the men proIcsted and said tn.ey would work to the normal output they were sacked.” Mr. Hunter expressed the hope that the dispute would be settled to-day.