FREEZING INDUSTRY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 15, 15 December 1937, Page 10

FREEZING INDUSTRY

EMPLOYEES’ DEMANDS. EFFECT ON COSTS. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Dec. 15. "It is estimated that the union's present claims, including the cost of various overhead conditions, particularly overtime, will add more than £500,000 to the wages bill in the industry,” said Mr C. G. Wilkin, of Christchurch, opening the employers’ side of the freezing works dispute in the second Arbitration Court to-day. The extra cost of the increases embodied in last year’s award was estimated at about £450,000, Mr Wilkin added, and the companies felt that, taking the long view of market values for the industry’s products, and having regard to the fact that directly or indirectly the additional charges fell on the farming community, the addition in two years of £1,000,000 to the annual wages, bill was not warranted. The present claim would mean an increase of 80 per cent, to the 1935-36 wages bill. Mr Wilkin said the employers considered that, not only was there no case for any increase, but they were justified in asking for some relief from certain of the present rates where labour costs were out of all proportion to the nature of the work and the value of the product. In reply to the union’s request for a 40-hour, 5-day week, Mr Wilkin said that in the very nature of the industry it was absolutely necessary that much of the work must be carried on without interruption for at least 24 hours after killing stock. Much valuable stock was matured in rushes on account of seasonal conditions, and the deletion of Saturday work would mean a delay in killing and serious loss to the farmer.