MEAT-WORKERS STRIKE

Northern Advocate, 4 February 1936, Page 9

MEAT-WORKERS STRIKE

SMITHFIELD WORKS IDLE ! N.Z. PRODUCE AFFECTED i | f United Press Assoclation.-By Electric I Telegraph. — Copyright.] LONDON. February 3. ( Australian and New Zealand meat I probably will be affected by a light- ! ning strike at Smithfield. upon which 13000 shopmen decided shortly after { midnight, owing to the alleged delay jof the Concilition Board, which was i established in December, to decide the

i wages dispute. j The men claim £4 as a minimum j wage for a 44 hours’ week and overj time pay. I The strike automatically stopped the work of 2000 meat porters. 500 cold 1 storage men and 2000 others. Pickets i refused to allow meat to enter the ! markets and hundreds of vans waiting ! to receive or deliver meat filled the | streets adjoining the markets, j Monday is one of the busiest days of the week and. 3000 tons of meat are handled ordinarily. Dominion meat circles recall that on the occasion of the last strike at Smithfield the salesmen themselves handled the carcases. This at present is not possible owing to the picketing. The owners after a midnight meeting were hopelessly divided. There is a danger of the strike spreading to the dock workers who handle meat at the ships’ sides, also to the railway employees who transport the carcases to the provinces, whither some importers already are diverting

supplies. If the strike continues the whole of London will be without meat.