AT COMPLETE STANDSTILL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 28 November 1938, Page 8

AT COMPLETE STANDSTILL

WESTFIELD FREEZING WORKS CLAUSE IN AWARD OBJECTED TO MEN CEASE WORK AS PROTEST (United Press Associatiool AUCKLAND, This Day. The major activities of the Westfield Freezing Works are at a complete standstill as a result of the decision of 800 members of the Freezing Vtorkers’ Union to stop work in protest at what they call the indefinite nature of the Arbitration Court's interpretation of one clause in the award. The dispute centres in the use of the ring system of mutton killing at Westfield, which is the only works in New Zealand where this method has been adopted in preference to the chain system. One clause in the award states: “On and after Ist October, 1938, not more than 35 workers shall be employed on any chain,” and the union asked the Court to decide whether or not this applied to the ring system at Westfield. The decision of Mr J. A. Gilmour, S.M., acting as delegate of the Court was as follows: “I have come to the conclusion, not without doubt, that the award is defective in that provision is not made for some limitation of the number of workers employed on the system of slaughtering in operation at the Westfield works. At a meeting this morning Westfield employees decided to stop work and go home. They will meet again tomorrow.