MAY CALL ON FREE LABOUR

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 19 November 1932, Page 6

MAY CALL ON FREE LABOUR

CANTERBURY FREEZING WORKS IF UNION MEN DECLINE ATTITUDE OF COMPANIES (By Telegraph —Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 18. “Should unionist labour fail to respond to the call for work offered at the various freezing works in Canterbury the empLoyerSj while ■ regretting such an attitude, will have no option but to engage other labour to treat stock in order to fulfil their obligations to the producers,” said a, represehtative ef the Canterbury freezing companies to-dav when discussing the ■freezing w.Qrks situation. “The attitude of the companies,” he added, “is that the men who may he engaged by the employers’ call and who wish to remain on, and who show a reasonable degree of efficiency, will be given preference' Of employment.’.’ It is already evident that the police are prepared to deal with picketing should this practice be attempted. Today a party of police led by a sergeant went to Belfast, where it was alleged there had. been picketing. They found nothing demanding their attention. The report that they were at Belfast to guard the workers loading meat on to trucks was untrue. No meat wa.s loaded. In fact, no steamer to receive the meat will reach Lyttelton until Wednesday. Killing for export is expected to start at most of the works on Tuesday. Until then it is not clear what will be the response to the call for labour.

LOADING BY SHIPS' CREYV

WELLINGTON MEAT CARGO

Wellington:, i\v. is. The 'officers* unci crew of the steamer Port Dunedin, tvho commenced loading frozen meat into the vessel on Thursday, continued loading to-day and tonight. A barrier was placed across the entrance to the Glasgow wharf to> keep idlers away, but the watersiders were not interested and there as no trouble. bfo call) was made for labour for the vessel to-day, but a call will be made to-morrow morning. If the watersiders again, decline to handle the meat the remainder will be loaded by' the crew. Officials of the Watersiders’ Union had no comment to make on the situation to-night, nor would they give any indication whether,the men would work the meat to-morrow.