IDLE MEAT WORKS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22289, 26 March 1947, Page 6

IDLE MEAT WORKS

WAGE DISPUTE WORKERS ADAMANT GUARANTEED PAYMENT (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH. March 25. With the workers firm on their minimum weekly wage claim no settlement of the strike in all the Canterbury freezing works was in sight last night. No further Governmental action to bring workers and employers together in an endeavour to reach a settlement was taken. As the workers are to hold meetings in Christchurch this evening and in Ashburton and Timaru on Wednesday, the earliest at which operations can be resumed is Thursday, but little hope of a resumption then was held in the industry yesterday. Wage Rise Demand Dropped

The change in the general situation was that the Canterbury Freezing Workers and Related Trade Union had dropped from its two demands a second demand for an all-round increase in wages in the industry and relied on its first and major demand for guaranteed weekly wages. The precise terms of the demand on which the dispute now revolves are: “The Canterbury companies to pay to all workers coming within the scope of the New Zealand, except West Coast, freezing workers’ award a weekly payment A not less than the award minimum of 3s OJ>d an hour, multiplied by 40 that Is £6 Is 3d per week, plus cost of living bonuses for each week they are bn the employers’ pay sheet; payment to be retrospective to the commencement of the 1946-47 export season, and to be exclusive of all overtime.”

The demand for an increase in wages has been deferred by the union pending the hearing by the Arbitration Court ot the application by the Federation of Labour for a general order increasing wage rates.

Since they made their counter offer of a minimum wage of £6 a week, excluding overtime, to be retrospective to the beginning of the season and to apply to the Canterbury works, the employers, too, have remained firm. No direct negotiations between the employers on the strike issue took place yesterday. Proposal by Companies

Early in the day Mr C. G. Wilkin, secretary of the South Island Freezing Companies’ Association, communicated with the secretary of the Freezing Workers’ Union. Mr H. G. Kilpatrick, by telephone to inform the union that the companies proposed that at Easter work should close on Thursday, April 3, and reopen on Wednesday. April 9. There were, however, some negotiations between the union and Mr S. E. McGregor, officer-in-charge of the Labour Department at Christchurch, who was acting as the intermediary of the Minister of Labour, Mr A. McLagan. The Minister himself was not in contact with the union, and he returned to Wellington by last evening's steamer express. f

Mr McLagan declined to make any comment on the strike .and said that no official reply had been given by the union to his offer to set up a disputes committee under the strikes and lockout emergency regulations, providing both parties agreed to accept the decision of the tribunal. When the Minister's statement was referred to the union secretary, Mr Kilpatrick, said he had intimated to the Minister through Mr McGregor in the clearest terms that it did not think that the temper of the men was such that they would agree to accept an unfavourable decision.