WORK STOPPED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23860, 10 January 1941, Page 6

WORK STOPPED

WESTFIELD BALLOT COOL STORES DISPUTE VOTE AGAINST ACTION SLAUGHTERING HELD IJP No major slaughtering operations were carried out at the TYestfield freezing works yesterday afternoon, and all departments were idle until 3.30 p.m. while a mass meeting of the employees and a secret ballot were held in connection with the 140 chamber-hands who were dismissed last I'riday for refusing to work the city cool stores on Sundays. The ballot resulted in a majority of over 300 voting against any direct action being taken in support of the chamberhands.

The stoppage of work created a serious interruption in the slaughtering operations and it was stated by the management that over 5000 lambs and considerable numbers of pigs and cattle had to bo left overnight in the stockpens. Effects of the Delay The company had planned to handle about 10,000 lambs during the day, and as a result of the accumulation of stock the drafting of lambs from the Waikato for to-morrow has bad to bo cancelled. The management stated that the condition of the stock held overnight would deteriorate and that it would not be possible without working overtime in the future to overtake the arrears of work.

The mooting, which commenced at 12.30 p.m. and lasted until 1.45, was held to receive reports from the union representatives on negotiations conducted the previous day. The employees were also addressed by a representative of the chamber-hands. A resolution to the effect that in view of the present critical times no action he taken was submitted to a secret ballot. Result ol the Ballot While it was being conducted in the various departments the employees did not resume work and many of the younger workers and girls spent the interval of about 90 minutes playing impromptu tennis and cricket in the yards.

At 3.15 p.m. the result of the ballot was declared as follows; I?or the resolution, 644; against, 342. Majority in favour of no action being taken, 302. The result was received without any demonstration, and work was resumed almost immediately in most of the departments. The slaughtermen on the mutton and beef floors, about '220 men, decided not to resume work until this morning. However, a team of pig slaughtermen commenced work, and when operations ceased for the day there were only a few hundred pigs held over. About £6OO in Wages Lost The management stated that approximately 1300 workers were concerned in the stoppage of work, this ntimber including staff hands and overseers. It was computed that about £6OO was lost in wages to the employees through the stoppage. At the Southdown freezing works a similar meeting was held and all the departments, employing about 450 men. were idle until nearly 2 p.m. The meeting decided to send two delegates to watch events at the Westfield meeting. The management stated *that the stoppages of work over the two days in which two hours' work was lost had resulted in 1200 lambs and about 600

pigs being carried over. Union officials stated last night that a further mass meeting of the Southdown workers is to be held to-day when it is expected that the employees will hold a ballot on a resolution similar to the Westfield one.

At the Horotiu works the employees held a lunch-hour meeting which extended for about 20 minutes beyond the usual hour for resuming work. It was stated that the delegates submitted a report which was adopted after some discussion.