NO DOUBT ABOUT IT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17178, 30 October 1926, Page 7

NO DOUBT ABOUT IT

\ FREEZING WORKS STRIFE MEN BEING FORCED REPORTS FROM HAWKE’S BAY CFer Press Association.) NAPIER, this day. It is now beyond all doubt tha. trouble is brewing between the frecz- * ing works employees and owners, and though neither sid“ has any official pronouncement to make, it seems very unlikely that the Hawke’s Ray works will l)e manned bv the usual employees when they open for the season on Monday. Reports from various parts indicate that if ft strike eventuates it is likely to be general, or almost so, and that the workers, or those who are leading them, are determined to stand to their claims for higher wages. The butchers are claiming 10 per cent, increase, and other freezing works employes a penny an hour. Unionists in Hawke’s Bay are, without doubt, far from unanimous in supporting extreme action; in fact, a large proportion are opposed to a strike. But it seems that matters have been taken out of the hands of tlio local branch and that the workers will merely have to follow where they are. led. *Tn other words, the strike will be thrust upon them. « Mr. .T. 11. Joll, president, of the local branch of the Farmers’ Union, had nothing to say when asked what were the prospects for the use of free labor in the event of p strike. Nevertheless, it is known that for some months the farmers have been organising to meet, any such contingency, and it is understood that they feel abundantly confident of being able to overcome aav inconvenience that a strikp, however wide its ramifications, may be likely to impose upon the community.

AUCKLAND NOT WORRIED A DIFFERENT POSITION (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. The fears of the freezing concerns in Hawke’s Bay and Poverty Bay that there is a possibility of trouble through a suggestion that unionisi slaughtermen, .expecting a 10 per cent, increase in wages, will decline to adhere to their award, which expires in June, are not shared at present by the Auckland companies. A manager, who was asked his opinion to-dav, said he had had no intimation of any trouble, and as far as he could judge the difficulty was peculiar to the two districts wherp the rumors of g hold-up originated. The Auckland district was in a position somewhat different from Hawke’s Bay and Poverty Bay, he said, and the killing season for sheep and lambs was later than in those districts, not being until about the first week in December.

ORGANISING A STRIKE ALLIANCE TO TAKE CHARGE , “That in the event of a strike this branch of the Wellington Freezers’ Union agree to handing over the conj duct of the strike to the New Zealand Alliance of Labor.” The foregoing motion was carried unanimously by the largest branch of the Wellington Freezers’' Union, held on Tuesday evening. This meeting was urgcntlly summoned to consider . demands made on behallf of the slaughtermen for ah increase in wages of 10 per cent. r There was a reeord • attendance. The district secretary and organiser, Air. A. McLeod, then addressed the meeting in support of the demand for increased wages. He stressed the point that during the war period the producers received high prices for thenproduce and should be able to pay the freezers increased wages. • The motion was then carried unanimously, the district secretary pointing out that a similar motion already had been carried by different branches throughout New Zealand. All such motions, with only one exception, had been carried unanimously. This particular case referred to Hawke’s Bay, where the union had prevented slaughtermen turning to, to kill show sheep. A meeting of the branch there was called and attended by 157 men, of whom only 20 voted against the motion. GENERAL UNIONIST SUPPORT. The organiser stressed the point at the Feilding meeting that, with the backing of the New Zealand Alliance of Labor, the seamen, wan-rside workers and all other affiliated unions would support the action of the slaughtermen.

In addition to the above facts, it was learned that .the meeting was dominated by extremists, who were emphatic in declaring that the demand for increased wages had to be satisfied. A number of those present were against the proposal, but did not ex-

press their opinions owing to the fear

j of victimisation. It is understood that many of the men are prepared to go to work when the Feilding works open at the existing rates of pay, but arc unable to do so in view of the attitude of those controlling the union. The extremists controlling the uniou are emphasising the help which the Alliance of Labor has apparently promised to give in lighting for the demands of the slaughtermen. The policy to be adopted by the men will bo that they are to turn up at the works when opening day arrives, but will only be prepared to turn to in the event of the higher wagetf being granted.