INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22911, 19 June 1936, Page 15

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE

THE FREEZING INDUSTRY

(Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 18. The Conciliation Council to-day commenced the hearing of the Dominion dispute in the meat freezing industry created by the North Island Trades Association of Workers, comprising 11 unions in the North island, the claims affecting all the companies in the North Island, and similarly by the South Island Freezing Workers' Industrial Association, affecting all the works in the South Island. There is in addition the dispute created by the Auckland Abattoirs Assistants’ Union in the Auckland industrial district and another in Wellington created by the Wellington Freezing Works Employees’ Union. Both these were set down for hearing at a later date, By mutual agreement, however, the Auckland Union agreed to cooperate with the North Island Freezing Workers’ Federation in the case, now before the court.

Mr SI. J. Reardon, conciliation commissioner, is presiding. The agent for the association is Sir W. E. Sill (Auckland) and for the South Island Mr L. Glover (Wellington). The agent for the employers is Mr C. G. Wilkin (Christchurch). The employees’ claims cover every phase of the industry, with a minimum wage for labourers of 2s 3d per hour. The employers’ counter-proposals arc for a 5 per cent, increase on the rates set out in the present agreement, subject to the conditions of work remaining the same, to which is appended a note to the effect that under the new and proposed statutory provisions both in regard to time and other alterations in the working conditions the average earnings will be at least equal to, if not greater than, the earnings under tlio 1931 rates of pay. The meeting went into committee, and the proceedings are expected to last several days.