SERIOUS TURN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 64, 17 March 1942, Page 5

SERIOUS TURN

DISPUTE AT WESTFIELD NEARLY TWO THOUSAND EMPLOYEES IDLE (P.A.) Auckland, March 16. The dispute at the Westfield works of R. and W. Hellaby, Ltd., assumed a more serious aspect today when about 1400 employees of tlie Westfield Freezing Company, Ltd., decided to cease work in support of 350 of Hellaby’s men who have been idle since Thursday. This action followed a secret ballot, the voting being about 900 in favour ■ of supporting Hellaby’s workers and > approximately 200 against. ! At a lunch-hour meeting of 50 • hands employed at the Southdown ' works of the Auckland Farmers’ i Freezing Company, Ltd., who are also members of the same union as the > workers at Hellaby’s and Westfield, it : was decided to advise the management that they would not handle any of the boned meat held for transport to Hellaby’s cannery. The men at the Southdown works continued as usual throughout the day. In accordance with their decision on Friday the Hellaby workers held a ■ general meeting in the Trades Hall, Auckland at 9 a.m. to-day and re- ’ viewed the issues in dispute at the previous, meetings. The men decided ' not to resume work until the Auckland Freezing Workers’ Union, of ' which they are members, was recognised as the sole union at their place of employment. That decision was reached after the management _at Hellaby’s works had refused union delegates permission to approach the women in the cannery department. With the exception of a number of ; workers who remained until about 4 i p.m. clearing up, all departments were . idle from lunch-time onwards. The precipitate action of the employees. . left the management with 7000 sheep 1 and lambs, 2000 pigs and 1000 cattle ■on their hands. This stock had to be held overnight and the perplexities facing the company were increased by the absence of pasturage resulting from the dry spell. The inadequate notice given of the cessation of operations prevented officials from cancelling railments of stock from the country, and large numbers are due to arrive to-morrow. Efforts are being made to arrange for . a skeleton team to deal with this stock, and staff hands at the works and country agents of the company • are to commence killing and dressing to-morrow. The office staff, who are members of the Clerical Workers' Union, decided at a meeting to offer their services in the killing of pigs. It was stated at. the meeting that authority for this course was con- . tained in the precedent at the same works some years ago, and that the motion still held good. Instructions issued by the Minister of National Service, the Hon. R. Semple, that they must return to work were ignored by the Hellaby employees. Slaughtering and other operations were carried out at Hellaby’s works by a team of volunteer workers. “TREASONABLE ACTION” MINISTER CASTIGATES OFFENDERS REGISTRATION CANCELLED (P.A.) Wellington. March 16. “As a result of the action of the workers, both at the Westfield works and at Hellaby’s, I have today cancelled the registration of the Auckland Abattoir Assistants and United Freezing Works Employees’ I nion of Workers in respect of the works concerned in the stoppage,” said the Hon. P. Webb to-night. “This means that the award applying to workers in these works is also cancelled. Proceedings will also be taken against the workers at Westfield who are responsible for and who have taken ; part in the stoppage to-day.” The Mfnister prefaced this a.n- -' nouncement with the following state- • ment:—“While the nation is at war, : fighting for its very existence against the most unscrupulous foes that ever took up arms, a body of irresponsible industroal wreckers havecreated a war ■in the trenches of the industrial front. Every ounce of our energy . will be needed to make certain of victory, and, while our soldiers by thousands are giving un home life and comforts and facing death and sickness, a few people have taken the law into their own hands to do the work ; of the enemy by holding up supplies. • “These men have issued a direct challenge to the Government. Their 1 action is treasonable and will be treated as such. L “They have sacrificed every princis pie of industrial unionism. They have > ignored their obligations under the , law that gives them protection and i preference to unionists, and have at- ; tempted to stab the country in the > back during its great hour of trial. ; They do not seem to realise that if ■ this country suffered the same fate as . many other countries in Europe and 3 the Prcific have suffex'ed under , Nazism, all their privileges and all the employers’ money too would be i of no avail. They wculd be brushed overboard in a night. This is no time to have a division in our ranks, whether they be employers, capitalists or workers. We must face the enemy with a united front. Everything is in the melting pot at the • moment. “Freedom that has taken hundreds ’ of to establish could be ended 1 if the Axis Powers triumphed and if • this country were invaded to-morrow ’ there would be no stop-work meetings 5 to discuss how we could best beat, off 1 the enemy. The people as a whole, 1 irrespective of their class or position, I would march together in face of a - common danger. So I appeal earnestly ly to the men and women of the in- ■ dustry immediately to resume work. 1 “The men who are responsible for lhe present situation may find it difficult, to get further work in the industry. They would be better cmnloycd in an industry not directly affecting our war effort. We cannot wish our way to victory. We can on.lv work and fight our way there, and any action that holds un production during the war is helping the enemy, and this. I know, the men and women of Westfield would not consciously do.” However, the Minister continued, as a result of the action of the workers. both at the Westfield works and Hellaby’s he had taken the stens outlined above, and added in conclusoin: ■ “Mv final appeal to the workers is to remain loyal to their country and to unionism and to re'.urn to work and speed up production, and if they have any grievances let them be dealt with constitutionally in keeping with their awards.” _____________