HOPELANDS CHEESE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 310, 28 November 1936, Page 10

HOPELANDS CHEESE

TO GO FORWARD. UNION’S STATEMENT. The following statement in connection witli the hold-up of the Hopelands Dairy Company’s cheese by waterside labour at Wellington, signed by Mr D. Fitzgerald (president) and Mr C. Gough (secretary) of the Wellington Creameries, Cheese, Butter Factories and Dairy Employees’ Union, .has been handed to the “Standard” for publication : “The union, after taking every point of view into consideration, especially that of the very serious effects financially the continued hold up of Hopelands Dairy Co’s cheese —-involving 242 crates and being two shipments—will have upon only 16 suppliers,- to whom no payment will be made by the Marketing Board until same is placed on board, has arrived at the decision to let the cheese go forward. “The union has nothing against the suppliers at Hopelands who are only ■workers as are the members working in the factories, and it is not desirable that these small working farmers should be made to suffer. The employee in this case has found another position and expresses a wish not to go back to the Hopelands company, so that the union sees no good object in continuing the hold-up on his behalf. “At the same time the rinion wishes it to be made known that it will at all times make use of the same weapon to a greater and more effective purpose in future, if intimidation or victimisation is used to help break down conditions of work. “The union ever since its inception has liad to contend with intimidation and victimisation, and the time lias arrived to put an end for all time to this state of affairs. Therefore, the union is determined to bring this practice to an end, but in view of the expense that the suppliers of Hopelands have already been put to through no fault of the majority of these suppliers, the union will lift the ban and the cheese will now go forward.”