TROUBLE BREWING IN FREEZING WORKS

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3492, 30 October 1926, Page 9

TROUBLE BREWING IN FREEZING WORKS

Big Likelihood of Men Not Starting

FARMERS’ ORGANISATION PREPARED

[Per Press Association. J NAPIER. Last Night.

It is now beyond all doubt that trouble is brewing between the freezing works’ employees and owners, and though neither side has any official pronouncement to make. It seemfi very unlikely that the Hawke’s Bar works will be manned by the usual employees when they open for the season on Monday.

Reports from various parts indicate that if a strike eventuates, tt is likely to be general, or almost so, and that the workers, or those who are leading them, are determined to stand to their claims for higher wages. Tho butchers arc claiming a ten per cent, increase, and other freezing worlrf employees a penny an hour. The Unionists in Hawke’s Bay am without doubt far from unanimous in supporting extreme action, in fact a large proportion are opposed to a; strike. It scorns that matters have been taken out of the hands of the local branch, and that the worker* 1 will merely have to follow where they arc led. In other words, the strik* will bo thrust upon them. Mr, J. H. Joll, President Of the local t branch of tho Farmers’ Union, had nothing to say when asked what were , the prospects for the use of free lab- ,’ our, in the event of a strike, nevertheless it is known that for some < months, the farmers have been or-> ganising to meet any such contin-. gency, and it is understood that they feel abxindantly confident of being' able to overcome any inconvenience that a strike, however wide its ramifications may be, is likely to impos* upon the business community.