Freezing Works Idle

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 5, 7 January 1937, Page 8

Freezing Works Idle

Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. Borthwick’s freezing works at Belfast are idle as a result of a deadlock which has been reached in a dispute between the butchers and the company. “Go-slow” tactics were adopted on iLe killing chains yesterday and at 2 p.m. work stopped. The men returned to work this morning and manned the chains at the request of the employers. A “go-slow” policy was again put into operation anu after an hour word was given for work to cease. It has been stated that the men were told to collect their pay and they were not to leturn to work. A meeting of the Canterbury Freezing Workers’ Union has been called for 10.30 a.m. to-morrow. So far as can be ascertained the dispute at present is confined to this company only, but the men are already confident that they will receive support from the employees of other works in Canterbury. Borthwick’s were not operating nt the Addington market when to-day’s sale opened, but other companies bought freely. On behalf of the men it was stated this morning that tho dispute arose when the company, without increasing the daily quota of killings, decided to employ an additional number of mou on the chains. The wages are drawn from a pool, and the men complain that by increasing the number of hands without raising tho quota of killings tho company has asked them to accept lower wages. Conference on Wages and Hours WELLINGTON, Last Night. A conference between the representatives of workers and employers engaged in the freezing industry throughout New Zealand took place this week. The principv’ issues in the discussion were the 40-hour sought by the employees in place of the existing 44-hour week and wages. No finality was reached during the negotiations and the conference was adjourned after a committee had been appointed to consider minor questions. The workers claimed that in working tho 44-hour week they automatically lost 2nd per hour *■> comparison with the rates ol pay earned by employees in other industries where the 40-hour week was in operation. Freezing workers were now receiving 2s Id per hour, it was stated, and they claimed they should be paid 2s 3^o.