MEAT WORKS STRIKE

Grey River Argus, 14 March 1942, Page 8

MEAT WORKS STRIKE

350 WESTFIELD MEN OUT

Demand to Hold Meetings [Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, March 13. All members of the Freez.ng Workers’ Union employed at the Westfield works of R. and W. Hellaby, Ltd., refused to resume after lunch yesterday. The reason given was tne company’s refusal to allow members of the union to hold meetings with the company's women employees engaged in the canning oi meat until war contracts were completed. , • i Approximately 350 freezing workers failed to resume work at Westfield yesterday, and were still out at lunch-time to-day. “When the men were asked, this morning if they proposed to return to work, the reply was ‘that is /indefinite,’ ’’ said an officer of the company. The spokesman added: “The men would come for their wages at l.uu." WELLINGTON, March 13. Mr. Webb states that proceedings have been instituted against those responsible for the stoppage at Hellaby’s works, Westfield, and the question of the expulsion of those responsible for these stop-work meetings, is also under consideration. “Whatever justification the workers felt they had in this particular dispute,” said the Minister, “it is an unpardonable offence at the present time to stop production. Every pound of production we can bring into being is absolutely essential to the war effort, as in the last analysis, the nation’s workshops will become the determining factor as to whether Democracy lives or perishes. If certain individuals assume the right to stop production at their own sweet will, they will be expelled from any industry, which vitally affects the war effort. It is too late in the day to have petty grievances interfering with that effort. lam certain the great bulk of workers everywhere share this view. These stoppages betray every principle of unionism, which while providing many great advantages for the members also carries with it responsibilities. Machinery has been provided to settle disputes constitutionally, and if the unions think they can enjoy the protection of the law without observing it, they have another think coming.” The Minister again appealed;to the ■ great mass of these workers, who are'doing an excellent job under unpleasant conditions, to continue at their work. He would give an undertaking that every dispute would be investigated at the earliest moi ment, but work must go on. No Time for Strike DUNEDIN MAYOR’S STATEMEN P.A. DUNEDIN, March 13. “Side by side w’th a stirring appeal to the people of New Zealand by the Governor-General, which was published this morning,” said the Mayor (Mr A. H. Allen) when speaking at the annual meeting of the Victoria League, to-day, “we have the news of freezing workers refusing to work at a time like this. When this New Zealand of ours, apd the Empire are in the gravest' peril, we have men who, instead of supporting the Government to the utmost, are prepared, for the sake of some petty quarrel, to put aside the welfare of the nation by refusing to work! “Whatever , are we thinking of in this country?” Mr Allen asked, “it is enough to make one hang one’s head in shame. I feel that it is time that public men drew attention to these things.” Scrimgeour’s Entry

TO WATERSIDERS’ UNION.

AUCKLAND, March 13.

Replying to Mr. Webb, concerning Mr. Scrimgeour’s admission to the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Watersiders’ Union, Mr. H. Barnes, president of the union, said that steps had recently been taken to replace for the duration of the war 90 watersiders who were on active sex’vice, and Mr. Scrimgeour was accepted as one of these. “The Minister’s statement, that hundreds of. applicants have been blocked, exists nowhere but in themind of the Minister,” Mr. Barnes said. The organisation made application months ago to have the union membership increased, and the employers had consistently refused this. Night-shift work was the main factor necessitating ■ increased membership. Mr. Barnes added that the Waterfront Control Commission had failed to use its powers in the direction of increasing the membership of the union.