FREEZERS’ AWARD

Hokitika Guardian, 20 January 1937, Page 3

FREEZERS’ AWARD

EMPLOYERS COMMENT. ON MINISTER’S ACTION. (Per Press Association.—Copyright). CHRISTCHURCH, January 19. The Executive Committee of the Employers’ Association is concerned at a statement reported to' have been made by the Minister of Labour, Hon H. T. Armstrong, namely: "That if the Arbitration Court would not rec-

tify the clause in the (Freezing Workers) award giving employers the right to put extra men 011 the “chain teams,” then the Government would do so by specie! validating legislation at the first opportunity. • “This award of tlie Arbitration Court is a recent one,” said a statement issued by ’ the Employers’ Association’s Executive to-day. “It has been made by a tribunal whose rulings all employers are forced to obey, under pain of heavy penalties. When awards suit labour, they are sacrosanct. When they do not suit labour, men defy them, and the Government appears to condone law-breaking. It takes no action to enforce law; and it promises that clauses in the Arbitration Court’s awards shall be altered by special legislation.”

“The words of the Minister about masters and slaves, and his promises to alter the law to suit law-breakers (who were defying the law while he was addressing them), are very disquieting in a British community which ig anxious to develop its industrial life in peace. Employers are deeply concerned at this evidence of partiality on the part of The Government, and consider it to lie an encouragement to all those who would try to' undermine law and order for their own purposes. »

“The Executive respectfully appeals to the Prime Minister to allow no encouragement to be given to those who would try to bring our laws into disrepute, and to obtain alterations in them by force and disobedience. It reminds him that employers are just as worthy citizens as employees, and that, it will be costly to the State in the long run if illegal class-warfare against employers by employed is seemingly encouraged by those-who make our laws, and especially by Cabinet Ministers.”

CAPACITY OUTPUT. FOLLOWING THE STAY-IN. AUCKLAND, January 19. Slaughtering* operations were con-

ducted at full pressure at the Westfield and Southdown freezing works to-day, the men settling down in the morning to a flilt day’s work. The handling of lambs for export was in lull swing, for the first time since the resumption of work, and at Westfield both “chains” were operated at capacity output. At both works, lunch-hour meetings were held to elect delegates to represent the men at the forthcoming conference at Wellington on Thursday. The chief topic at work and “smoko” is the prospects of a permanent settlement of all of the grievances.