EMPLOYERS’ CASE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 16, 16 December 1937, Page 6

EMPLOYERS’ CASE.

FREEZING INDUSTRY DISPUTE. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Dec. 15. “It is estimated that the union’s prosent 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 (Christchurch) in opening the employers’ side of the freezing works dispute in the Second Arbitration Court. The extra cost of 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 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 tho present rates where labour costs were out of all proportion to the nature of tho work and the value of the product. In reply to the union’s request for a 40-hour five-day week, Mr Wilkin said, by the very nature of the industry it was absolutely necessary that much of the work must he carried on without interruption for at least 24 hours after killing stock. Much valuable stock matured in rushes on account of the seasonal conditions, and the deletion of Saturday work would mean delay'in killing and/a serious Joss to tho farmer.

Witnesses who were called gave evidence in support of the employers’ submissions and contended that the introduction of a 40-hour, fiv.e-day week was not practicable in the freezing industry. The Court reserved its decision.