BURNSIDER FREEZING WORKS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14212, 13 May 1908, Page 2

BURNSIDER FREEZING WORKS

MORE TROUBLE AMONG THE MEN. More trouble occurred at the Burnsido Freezing Works yesterday morning, when somo 15 men, comprising general hands ond what aro known as "gut boys" were pakl off and left their work. The position is that some of the outsido hands wore receiving 1« per hour, and some weeks back this was reduced to Hid per hour. Tho outside hands as a whole demanded Is per hour, and the "put boys," some of whom were being paid 5s per day, follbwed suit, and likewise demanded Is per hour, which the company considered to be out of all proportion to the work they were called upon to do. On Monday morning these outside hands, or slaughterhouse assistants, oeased work, Mr Bally, of the Labour Department, however, appeared on the scene, and undertook to find out what wages wore paid at tho other freezincr works in tho Dominion. In the meantime tho disaffected hands returned to work on the understanding that they would get the wages paid elsewhere. Yesterday morning however, they intimated to the company that they would not start work unless they received Is per hour all round. The company refused lo accede to this request, and tho men were accordingly paid off. The result of the disaffection was that tiomc 15 hands left tho works, and operations wero somewhat disorganised thereby. The manager of the works himeo-lf undertook part of the work, and eight out of the 14 butchers were thereby kept going. j There is no lack of applicants for tho ! vacancies, and the company hopes to have j operations going on as usual this morning.