WORK STOPPED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 139, 14 May 1941, Page 8

WORK STOPPED

FREEZING WORKS DISPUTE. (Press Assn.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 14. The killing chains of the Belfast works of Thomas Borthwiok and Sons, Ltd., were idle to-day.from 8.10 a.m. Objections were made by the works section of the Freezing 'Workers’ Union to proposed changes in tlie chain and killing was stopped when the men declined io accept the company’s nominees to fill a chain of 38. The chain men were then paid off and no settlement of the dispute, which affected only tlie slaughterman at Bortliwick’s Belfast works, was in sight at a late hour to-night. .Mr R. T. Bailey, District Officer of the Labour Department, said that the department had no information on he liold-up, but it would make an inquiry to-morrow morning. This is the second stoppage of work to occur at tlie company’s Belfast works this season. The previous stoppage was eattsed by" an argument on the work to be undertaken bv an employee. With a falling-off of supplies, the killing capacity of the works was reduced last Friday by one chain of 38 men, this being accepted as a seasonal course. A month’s killing for tlie remaining chain was reported to-day to be in sight when the hold-up occurred. A lock-out was alleged by the union officials.

SIT UA T lON UN OH AN G ED,

(Press Assn. I CHRISTCHURCH. May 14,

In connection with the dispute at the Belfast works, this morning the company reported there was no change in the situation. During the morning an officer of the Labour Department visited the works to make inquiries. A number of the men concerned reported at the works this morning, hut there were not sufficient for anything to be done.