CHAIN SPEED-UP

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22210, 21 December 1946, Page 4

CHAIN SPEED-UP

HAITI WORKS RATE CONFLICTING DEMANDS OPERATIONS DELAYED A demand that the speed of the Kaiti freezing works chain be speeded up so that chain-workers could finish their day’s tally at a slightly earlier hour in the afternoon has caused substantial losses of time in the factory during the past few days, and yesterday about three hours’ work was sacrificed, with the result that a good deal ot stock had to be sent back. The works management found itself on the horns of a dilemma when the chain workers asked for the increase in the speed at which carcases came down the line, while those at the delivery end of the chain protested that they could not meet the speed-up. One group adopted go-slow-- tactics to enforce their demands, on the other hand, while the other group indicated that they would cense work if they were required to face the pile-up of work which w-ould result from a speeding of the chain. The works has been handling a big volume of early lambs since the opening of the season and the quantities of stock coming forward show no present sign of easing off. The pre-Christmas rush is still on. so far as bookings are concerned, but the works management is endeavouring to meet the troubled ■labour situation by holding back the flow.