FREEZING INDUSTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18584, 10 December 1920, Page 9

FREEZING INDUSTRY.

THE WAGES DISPUTE. [Pbr Press Association.] "WELLINGTON, December 9. A committee of the Freezing Companies' Association, after considering replies received from, the various companies in connection with the demands of the employees' federation for increased rates of pay, forwarded the following letter to Mr Niall, secretary of the federation: — " We duly received your letter of the 7th instant, together with a statement of the minimum rates which your committee is prepared to discuss with the freezing companies. We would point out that we are prepared to grant to all piece-workers an increase of 20 per cent on the 1919 agreement rates, as it is precisely the same as the companies have offered since the commencement of the negotiations. With regard to time workers, we draw your attention to the fact that the increases stated by you as the minimum vary from 25 per cent to 30 per cent, whereas the companies have already offered 22J per cent. It will be evident, therefore, that you are discriminating against piece-workers. As the companies' original offer provided an increase to the fullest extent that could have been granted by the Arbitration Court in October, and considerably in excess of what the Court would grant to-day, the freezing companies' committee cannot a&ept such increases to time workers as you request. Any suggestion that the offers made by us in October do not cover later increases in the cost of living that may have been ascertained since that date is fully met by the companies' proposal that any vhsriations in the cost .of living; would be dealt with by a corresponding adjustment in wages every three months. The foregoing represents the unanimous opinion of the freezing companies' committee, after consulting all the companies in the Dominion, and we must further notify you that unless the companies' generous offer of 20 per cent and 22£ per cent, as detailed in our letter of November 1, is accepted before noon on Saturday, December 11, that offer must be considered'as withdrawn, and the whole question referred to the Arbitration Court, all our offers being without prejudice to any ruling of that Court."