“GO SLOW" TACTICS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20108, 29 March 1928, Page 6

“GO SLOW" TACTICS

UNREST IN FREEZING”WORKSy “PUTTING THE BOOT IN.” Losses sustained by the freezing industry and the farming community through the adoption of “go slow” tactics were referred to at yesterday’s meeting of the Wanganui Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union. I The matter came before the meeting when the following resolution was conveyed by the Imlay branch of the Wellington District Freezing Works and Related Trades’ Employees’ Industrial Union of Workers: “That this meeting of members record their protest against the mis-statements madei by Air H. C. Zeisler to a recent meeting of the Farmers* Union, and requests that should the Wanganui Farmers’ Union require further information of the matters complained of the Imlay Freezing Workers’ Union will be pleased to send a delegate ta attend a meeting of members of that Union. ” Air F. Handley asked if the state* ments made by Air Zeisler should hav< been made public. The chairman (Mr T. Currie) replied that the address and discussion had been conducted in open meeting. He thought that a copy of the resolution Bshould be forwarded to Air Zeisler. This course was agreed upon. * ‘lf Afr Zeisler wishes to take up the charge* of mis-statements it is open for him to do so,” said the chairman. Farmers’ Union Protest. Correspondence before the meeting also contained the following resolution passed by the Wellington Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union:— “That this meeting of the Wellington Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union views with alarm the employment of ‘go slow’ tactics by the butchers at the freezing works at Wanganui and then at Wellington, and records its surprise that no frank statement of the trouble has been issued by the freezing companies concerned, in face of tho serious national loss involved in which the farmers ar< vitally affected; and further is of th< opinion that the presence of so much unemployment in the Dominion ex* eludes any justification for a ‘go slow"* policy.” i The secretary (Mr F. G. Seddon) referring to the latter part of the resolution, asked whether 4 ‘go slow*** tactics would be justified if there wereno unemployment. Air H. G. Belton said that the freez*' ing companies were to some extent a close corporation. He knew of certain works where, after trouble had been overcome, free labour was put on by the employers but the position made so hot by the union workers the free labour had to be put off. one case live men got one man dovru and “put the boot in That man had to get right out of the district* Air Belton said he had asked one responsible employer why he allowed that sort ef thing to go on. The reply was, “What can we do?’’ The Wellington executive’s resolution was received. I 4 The New Award. Concerning the recent dispute Tri the trade, which was taken to the Arbitration Court, Mr W. Monisonpointed out that it was no fault of the farmers’ representatives that matters had taken the course they had. It was not the farmers’ delegates who had let tho fanners down. They ha<t been absolutely out-voted, the freezing companies’ votes having overwhelmed them. The award was not to run out until Juno and the farmers’ delegates had wished to abide by" it. The freez-. ing companies, however, had consid* 1 ered the time opportune for an alteration and had maintained thst the worst that could happen would Te foe i the old award to remain. They accordingly nskad for a decrease and thot workers asked for an increase.