FREEZING WORKS DISPUTE

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1926, Page 11

FREEZING WORKS DISPUTE

CONFERENCE ARRANGED A UNION SECRETARY'S REPLY. NEW POSITION AT GISBORNE. By Telegraph. —Pre: ? Association. Auckland, Nov. 27. Mr. W. E. Sill, secretary of the Auckland branch of the Freezing Works Employees Union, in a statement of the case of the men, stresses the point that all freezing works employees, not slaughtermen only, are concerned in the local dispute which, he says, is not a strike, and was due to the refusal of the employers to discuss conditions of the industry. They did not present any demands, but merely asked for a friendly conference, and all they got was a snub. Last season the men employed at Southdown earned on an average 67s a week each. For about half of the short freezing season they were idle. REPLY TO EMPLOYERS’ LETTER. CONFERENCE TO BE HELD. > Wellington, Nov. 27. In reply to the letter by Mr. J. Milne, acting on behalf of the freezing works and farmers’ organisation wjiieh met in Wellington ou Thursday last, to the New Zealand Freezing Works and Related. Trades Industrial Association, the secretary 'of that body informed a reporter to-day that preliminary negotiations will be concluded for holding a conference of all parties concerned on Wednesday, fo-r the purpose of arriving at an amicable settlement. VOLUNTEERS JOIN UNION. POSITION COMPLETELY ALTERED Gisborne, Nov. 27. An important development at both the local freezing works is that the whole of the volunteer staff's have joined the existing Freezing Workers’ Union. This completely alters the whole position, as the works are now entirely manned with union workers. Operations are proceeding most satisfactorily, all the stock coming forward being dealt with. A meeting of farmers at Tolaga Bay resulted in an adequate organisation to staff the works at Tokomaru Bay, which are opening on December 6.