FREEZING WORKS CONDITIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22629, 18 January 1937, Page 13

FREEZING WORKS CONDITIONS

Sir, —As the minds of so many of the public are concentrated upon the freezing industry at the present moment 1 thought that a few lines from the men "behind tho lines" might not go amiss. Many are under the belief that we took possession of the works to stop the industry from doing its natural operations. We allowed both farmers and clerks to do our work while we stood quietly by. We were there on the job to gain the support and sympathy of the public and force the people of New Zealand to see that we arc sincere in our claims. These claims are simply this. That we be allowed the 40-hour week that was promised to all workers, or at the very least the equivalent. We are the lowest paid workers in New Zealand. We receive for casual work only 2s 3d an hour, but our average wage time we work is only about £3 los a week, and we arc on the unemployed for at the very least three months in the year. Our work is never regular as we can be called upon any time of the day or night without warning, Sunday included. Do the people of New Zealand realise that we are working in rooms for 2J hours at a time, with the thermometer registering 7 degrees and the air foul because of the fact that they are absolutely airproof, and are never open to allow fresh air in? 'lbis is detrimental to the health of even the strongest man. Do the people realise that the machines for conveying the butter boxes eject them at the rate of 1800 per hour and men must work up to that pressure? There are more casualties on this job than in any other in New Zealand. There is only one insurance company that will take us workers and then a very large premium must he paid. Some weeks there are 10 or 20 off injured. These are just ft very few facts to make for a clearer understanding between the downtrodden worker and the one in more ideal conditions. Mav his blessing and good-will be ours in our unenviable situation. A.L.S.