KILLING CEASES EARLY

Southland Times, Issue 24649, 22 January 1942, Page 4

KILLING CEASES EARLY

Abattoir Dispute At

Auckland

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, January 21. A new development has occurred in the dispute between the employees and management of the Auckland municipal abattoir at Westfield. Evidence of this was forthcoming today when the slaughtermen ceased killing operations at 2.30 p.m., although there was more than enough stock to keep them fully employed until the normal hour of terminating work at 5 p.m. The wages and conditions of labourers, who are paid on an hourly basis under an award which came into, force in May of last year, have been the subject of grievances among the men, and representations for higher pay have been made to the Auckland City Council, which controls the abattoir. The issue came to a head last Friday, when the men held a stop-work meeting to discuss the position. They resumed work; but held another meeting on Monday morning before starting work for the day. The convener of the Health Committee of the City Council, Mr F. N. Ambler, then stated that the men’s requests could not be granted. It was stated by the management today that since Monday’s meeting the workers had been working shorter hours. The effect of this attitude was most pronounced today, as large numbers of cattle were received from the weekly stock sale on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Long hours were usually necessary to complete the killing and dressing of meat for city and suburban butchers’ heavy week-end trade. The ordinary working hours were from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., it was stated, and the decision of the slaughtermen today not to kill after 2.30 p.m. seriously restricted the output. The Mayor, Mr J. A. C. Allum, stated that he had the matter under consideration.