FREEZING WORKS

Hokitika Guardian, 17 October 1932, Page 5

FREEZING WORKS

GENERAL STRIKE OBJECTION TO WAGE CUTS. (Australian Press Assoc 1 ition.) HASTINGS, October 16. According to tlie local secretary of the Freezing Workers’ Union, the members cf tne Unions throughout the North Island decline to work under ti.e employers’ new proposals that are announced to come into operation tome; row. Similarly;, he states, the South Island unionists will, refuse to work after November Ist, which is the date lixed for the new conditions to como into force there. Mr McLeod, the dominion secretary of the Federation, attended the meeting here to-day, leaving afterwards fur Wellington. SIMILAR DECISION REACHED. IN AUCKLAND PROVINCE. AUCKLAND. October 16. A decision not to accept work tomorrow under the employer’s new terms Was reached by the slaughtermen at meetings held on Saturday and to-day in various parts of the Auckland province. The works affected are:—Horortiu, near Hamilton (which also is the abottoirs for the Waikato), Westerfield, and Southdown, the two last-named being Auckland works. Auckland’s local meat supply will not be affected, at the abattoir work, ers here, although members of the Slaughtermen’s Union, work under seoarate agreements with the city council, and R. and W. Hellaby, Limited. No trouble is anticipated at the local abattoirs.

Killing for export normally starts in the Auckland province at the beginning of November. The stoppage is stated to be a protest by the workers aginst the lower wages and the conditions brought in by the employers. A statement on the above lines was made to-day by the secretary of the union, who added that almost every employee had voted, and the decision had been reached by large majorities at all of the meetings.

The general manager of the Auckland Farmer’s Freezing Coy., which controls the three works, would not make any statement.

A TEN PER CENT REDUCTION. WELLINGTON, Oct. 17. Members -of the lr Freezing Workers Union throughout the North Island, is is stated authoritively, will decline to accept work to-morrow under the new conditions, and at the rate of pay decided upon by the employers, As tlm South Island works do not open uutjl November Ist, no developments are- expected there until that date, according to a statement issued last week.

It is difficult to state exactly the average per centage reduction in the wages proposed, but it is calculated to be somewhere in the vicinity 'of from ten per cent to eleven per cent.

AT WESTFIELD AND SOUTHDOWN. AUCKLAND, October 17. The freezing workers at Westfield anil Southdown did not attempt . to secure engagement this morning under the new conditions. A number of men collected their personal belonging? from the works, and at Westfield is was announced that the wages due for the last half of the week will he P ;i 'd this afternoon. THE POSITION AT GISBORNE.

GISBORNE, October 17. The Freezers’ Union here endorsed a previous decision to leave all negotiations on new season’s rates to the national executive. The only killings -so far comprise a small shipment of pigs disposed of prior to the announcement of the new terms by the employers. No work has been offering since the new terms were ■announced and Kaiti works will not commence regular killing till Monday next, when early lainb f°r the Christinas market at Home wi»{ be dealt with, according to present arrangements.

-SHEARERS REFUSE NEW RATES. GISBORNE, October 17. Further difficulties wer e experienced at several stations ito-dnv when arrangements for the commencement of shearing, had to he abandoned, owing to the shearers’ refusal to accept the rate® offered. The trouble apparently has not spread to the coastal districts, where several gangs are shearing, mostly on a contract basis.

X() WORK AT HOROTIU. HAMILTON, October 17. There was no work at the Horotiu freezing works this morning, and the men at presi-iii' are di.a u.-.dng the ‘tr'k-e position. NO WORK AT LONG BURN. PALMERSTON NORTH, Oct. 17. Strike eruditions obtain at Longburn freezing works to-day, though ■actually no slaughtermen are yet engaged. A dozen general hands declined work under the new award, and did not report for work this morning.

The main slaughtering operations do not begin ti.'l November. The Palmerston North city abattoirs, whore the moat rs 'slaughtered undli contract, ar e not affected.