TEE SLAUGHTERMEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10683, 1 February 1913, Page 8

TEE SLAUGHTERMEN.

+ | CONFERENCE OF COMPANIES AT WELLINGTON. MEN'S DEMANDS REFUSED. PREVIOUS TERMS RE-OFFERED. NOW OPEN TO FREE LABOUR. [Pick Phess Association.] WELLINGTON, January 31. The freezing companies of New Zealand have again definitely refused, to acccde'to the demands made .upon them by the slaughtermen. The companies re-offcr the terms originally put forward by them, but now submit them for acceptance by any men in or out of tlie Union ranks. These are the main decisions arrived at by. a conference ot representatives of freezing companies which was held in Wellington to-day. The conference was attended by representatives of every company in New ! Zealand save Waingawa (which last week made a new agreement with the men on its own account) and Nelson (a small concern which employs only three butchers). Sir, George Clifford presided, and on behalf of the conierenco communicated its decisions to the representatives of the Press at the conclusion of the deliberations. He said: '' The freezing companies, having given full consideration to the demands of the slaughtermen as put forward by the Wellington executive, are unable to see any reason for altering their previous determination. By it the considerable advance of 2s 6d per 100 was ottered to the slaughtermen, with certain minor concessions, which chiefly affected the South Island factories. "The terms of employment then offered are adhered to, but are now submitted for acceptance to anyone, whether a member of the recently cancelled Unions or not, and on the basis ' that the conditions of the last awards are otherwise retained in practice. It means a weeklv increment of not less than lis 6d. Such a, rise has never hitherto occurred in any other trade, nor would their recent proposals have emanated from companies except that they desired at any reasonable sacrince to safeguard the complicated interests of the national industry. The consequential cost of admitting the workers demands would result in a price which the producers cannot be asked to pay, even for assured tranquillity, and stlU less for a temporary release from ever-

renewing exactions. _ . 1 i The freezing companies have desired \ to arrange (I) a liberal wage for the ; work done; (2) freedom to employ a | sufficient number of learners to keep their boards full in future; (3) such ; regulations as to hours and metjiods or work as are consistent with the proper \; management of factories; and (4) the : retention of preference clauses, which have been proved by the absence of past complications to be thoroughly acceptable" to ail parties. "In making the proposal now betore the slaughtermen the companies have had in view the advantage of all sections of the trade which constitutes one organised machine for marketing suitably the chief product of the soil of New Zealand. Each operation must be regarded as a separate act of such a machine, and unless the farmer, the freezing factory, carriers and dealers, with all the workmen in each of these departments, receive their proportionate profit, the industry must suffer to the universal injury of all concerned. As soon, however, as any one fraction of this machine absorbs an undue proportion of profit the machine will cease to work owing to tho burden theieby thrown upon shoulders unable to bear

it. On this principle the companies are bound to defend the producers from an inequitable expense, the workers from an inequitable adjustment of payments and themselves from an expenditure which would prohibit the maintenance of their institutions in a fitting condition for their important functions. It I has been calculated that the demands as formulated, with their consequences, i would involve an annual outlay-of not less than £IOO,OOO, the bulk of which sum would ultimately come out of the pockets of the farming community. ' Sir George Clifford also stated that the conditions under which work would be carried on in both North and South Islands would remain practically tne game as in the agreements just expired. DECISIONS COMMUNICATED TO MR REARDON. When the decisions Of the conference were communicated to the secretary of the Slaughtermen's Federation by a- Pressman this evening, Mr Reardon said he was unable to discuss them without full consideration, lie hoped later to be able to say something on , the matter.

. COMPANIES' OFFER. THE FULL TEXT. [Frou Otit Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, January 31. The following ia the full text of the conditions of employment for slaughtering in the South Island offered by the companies and declined by the men:— : HOURS OF WORK. | Work to commence between 7 a.m. ' and S a.m., as required, days of the week, and to cease at 5 p.m., with fifteen minutes' " smoke-oh " in the morning and fifteen minutes' ' smoiieoh" in the afternoon. On Saturday work shall commence between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., as required, and cease at 12 noon, with fifteen minutes' "smokeoh." "Smoke-oh" is to be as neany as possible at 9.45 in the morning and i three o'clock in the afternoon. Ihese ' working hours may be varied by mutual agreement. All work done after eight hours, exclusive of " .smoke-oh, shall be paid for at the rate and a ! euarfcjjc. Khnuld. iz ha licewssas-n-

start work at any time after 8 a.m., waiting time shall be paid for from 8 a.m. till time of starting, provided that after o p.m. a cut-out may be mutually arranged between the foreman butcher and the slaughtermen. j PIECEWORK RATES OF PAY. | The piecework rates of pay rJiall be as follows: —All sheep jtnd lambs, not otherwise specified, 27s 6d per 100; long-shanked shop sheep, 30s per 100; rams, other than ram lambs, 5d each; pigs up to 1001b, Is each; pigs over 1001b, Is 6d each; all bullocks 2s each; calves up to 2001b, Is each; calves over 2001b, 2s each; skinning dead sheep or lambs if required, Is each. In tlie case of learners the minimum wage per hour shall be as fixed from time to time by the companies in each district, until tho foreman butcher, certifies that the learner is sufficiently expert to j earn more than such rate by piece- I work.

GENERAL CONDITIONS. (1) Any daggy sheep or lambs to be dagged by the employers before killing; (2) the killing and dressing of sheep and lambs shall consist of killing, cleaning, taking off skin and shanks _ and wool pieces, taking inside out, wiping and thoroughly cleaning, putting on neck strings and batchers' tags, hanging off, and taking out sweetbreads from the lambs, but the employer shall remove the kidneys, and shall provide gambles and tags to each butcher at his hook, and shall also clean.buckets and boxes — the whole of the work shall be done according to the custom of each factory, to the satisfaction of the foreman butcher; (3) in the event of any worker, either through carelessness or neglect, damaging any skins, hides or carcases, the foreman in charge shall have the right to restrict the hourly tally of any such worker, or lie may instantly dismiss such worker; (4) slaughtermen to wait fifteen minutes in the event of a cut-out, but, if required.to wait longer than fifteen minutes, to be paid at the rate of 2s per hour for all time waited, time to count from the time the last man cuts out, the recognised ' smokeoh" and dinner hour to be excluded. Should the men be called out before 8 a.m. and no work provided, they shall be paid waiting time from the time they were called for till the time work commences on that day. In the event of no stock being available for Killing on any day for which the men have Deen called out, an hour's waiting time to be paid; (-5) a grindstone to be provided i for every twenty men; (6) all sheep and j lambs to be penned off. before ' being killed; (7) nothing m these : conditions shall apply to these employees of the employers respectively , who are employed* in tlie bacon de- ' partment of each saph employed; (p) the following to be tlie holidays: New Year's Day, Good Friday. Easter Saturday, Easter Monday, Labour Day, Show Dav, Christmas Day, Boxing Day; the day after Boxing Day, : the reigning sovereign's birthday, pic- ! Nic day, Easter Tuesday at Be.ifaot, ' Islington, Pareora and Smithfield, anc two davs at Timaru autumn race meet- : ing for Pareora and Smithfield(9, no work shall be done on the abovt holidays nor Sundays except that or Easter Saturday, Easter Monday Easter Tuesday, the King's Birthday Boxing Day, and the day after em. I ployers shall be at liberty to einploj such of the employees as they ma; require for a period of four hours and such employees shall work on sucl daj's and for such period for the pur pose of slaughtering stock for loca consumption, all such work done 01 those days during that period shall b< paid for at the rate of time and i quarter; (10) wages shall be paid fort nightly between the hours of 12 am 1 o'clock. Two days' lie time shall b allowed. If any slaughterman desire his wages to be paid at the Christ church, Ashburton or Timaru office ! of the employer he shall give twelv hours' notice of his desire, then hi wages shall be paid at such Christ church. Ashburton or Timaru office * and not at the factory at such tim i as may be arranged, provided that i i any slaughterman leaves his emploj 3 ment with his employers' consent o

; dismissed by his employer his wages nail bo paid immediately following iicli leaving or dismissal; (11) acceptnce of work shall imply assent to the hove conditions; (12) with regard to 11 other conditions the terms ot the ecentlv expired award wih be oberved" so tar as present conditions ermit. i IEN CEASE WORK AT HASTINGS. STATEMENT BY MR NELSON. NO TROUBLE ANTICIPATED IN OBTAINING MEN. [Pee Press Association.]

HASTINGS, January 31, The notice given by the slaughtermen | at Tomoana and l'akipaki Freezing Works of their intention to cease work unless their demands were acceded to, expired to-day. About 3300 sheep were' killed at the Tomoana works, leaving empty when the men finished killing, just on the stroke of three o'clock this afternoon. There was no demonstration of any_ kind, and after gathering up their knives and sharpening stones, the men walked off the premises quietly, as if nothing had happened. Interviewed by a _ reporter, Mr \\. Nelson, managing director of Messrs Nelson Bros., Limited, said the offer of 27s Gd per 100 sheep was still' open, but would not be exceeded.. There I would be no killing to-morrow, hut he expected -to start' slaughtering again either on Tuesday or Wednesday. Anticipating the stoppage of work to-day, the management at Pakipaki did not re-stock the pens, and the men finished off last night, giving a mild cheer as they left the works. Notices are still posted that tho boards are open for any who like to take an engagement at 27s 6d under the same conditions as are provided in the award. The works were .cleaned down to-day, and everything will be in readiness for resuming slaughtering when a sufficient number of men show their willingness to turn to. '■ Mr Nelson added:—"We do not anticipate much trouble in obtaining men to man the boards, and even if difficulty is experienced we will still do it, and when the works reopen it will be only on the basis of free labour. If a sufficient number of our old hands do nob apply for work to-morrow, we shall be open to receive applications on Monday morning from- outside butchers until our board is full." THE GISBORNE SLAUGHTERMEN, [Per, Press Association.] GISBORNE, January 31. The slaughtermen at Messrs Nelson Brosi' Taruheru works, the Gisbome Sheep-farmers Meat Company's work: at Kaiti and the Tokomaru Sheep-far-mers Frozen Meat Company's work? ceased work to-day, their agreements having expired. Seventy slaughter men in all are affected.