FREEZING INDUSTRY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 98, 25 March 1942, Page 6

FREEZING INDUSTRY

PARTIES ADAMANT. (Press Assn.) AUCKLAND. Mar. 24. With the parties in the freezing industry dispute at Westfield remaining adamant in their respective claims, the prospects of a settlement arc now centred in the activities of the Federation of Labour, to which the 1700 workers concerned have handed over negotiations. The position was considered at a special meeting of the Auckland district council of the icderatiori on Monday night and a statement was issue.l, to-day.

While the statement, which virtually endorses the claims of the workers, does not disclose tho nature of the action being taken by the federation, it is generally affirmed that direct representations are being made to the Government. The gravity ol the situation is frankly admitted in trade union circles, and in. a statement to-day the vice-president of the Auckland council of the federation (Mr F. Craig) said that the position was becoming more serious every minute.

It is realised by, all concerned in the dispute that it cannot be permitted to continue indeterminately. Much of the volunteer labour with which production is being carried on at the Westfield and Hellaby works is purely temporary. In the imperative necessity to resume full-scale production complete staffing of both works cannot be delayed indefinitely. On the other hand, the issues in dispute are being regarded with extreme concern by the trade union movement. The opinion was expressed in those circles that because of this concern, and the need to make an immediate resumption of production, a time limit should be set to the negotiations now in train. This view coincides with the decision of a mass meeting of workers in the Trades Hall this morning. It was adjourned till Thursday morning in the expectation that some settlement will have been reached. “In the council’s opinion the matter is capable of adjustment, even at this late stage, provided reason is shown by both sides,” said Mr F. Craig (vicepresident of the Auckland Trades Council) to-day. Mr Craig said the Southdown and King’s Wharf men were working because there had been no victimisation at their works. The Fuleration of Labour would do everything possible for a settlement, but would not submit to victimisation. TRADES COUNCIL STATEMENT. A statement made by the Auckland Trades Council of the New Zealand Federation ot Labour asserts that at the commencement of the dispute the men’s case was unanswerable, but owing to the attitude of the management of Heliaby’s the men were goaded into action which, in the opinion of the council, was unwise because it was illegal. Then the Federation of Labour took over the dispute and after full consideration, including the war issue, instructed the men to return to work, promising to endeavour to have a tribunal appointed to consider all phases of the dispute. The men agreed and presented themselves next day tor work. Here the companies concerned, m the federation’s opinion, committed a breach of the regulation by stating some of the men would not again be allowed to resume. The men wanted an assurance that eventually, after the dislocation was adjusted, they would be employed, but were not prepared to allow a few of their members to be sorted out for victimisation; hence tlie second stoppage. The federation was still endeavouring to settle the dispute and the men were willing to return. They consider the companies concerned arc breaking Lhe law in dismissing the men without the consent of the man-power committees established!'to deal with these matters. The federation supports this view, but is still pursuing every avenue ol settlement. it is the federation’s earnest wish that reason will prevail on all sides so the war effort can be continued.

Twentv-four of the 213 freezing workers‘who were sentenced to a month’s imprisonment at the special Court held in the Town Hall on Alondav, and who were released to their homes that evening, were called in by the police to-night and taken to the Alount Eden prison. The remainder of the convicted men are to be taken to gaol to-morrow to undergo their sentences. Instructions to the police to call in the men were received late in tho afternoon and the orders could not be executed before 8 p.m. when admissions to the prison close. “Newspaper headlines over a Press Association message from Auckland relating to the sentence imposed on 213 men yesterday, show that the message was capable of being wrongly interpreted.” said the Afinistcr of Justice at AVcllington to-day. “There is no lack of room in Alount Eden prison for the men concerned, but the Court proceedings finished at such a late hour as to make it impossible to procure and cook the evening meal and prepare beds for this number of men. Preparations were completed to-day.