SLAUGHTERMEN STRIKE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 4, 6 January 1944, Page 5

SLAUGHTERMEN STRIKE

DISPUTE AT KAIAPOI WORKS Christchurch, Jan. 5. Slaughtermen at the Kaiapoi works of the North Canterbury Sheepfarmers’ Co-optrative Company, Ltd., went on strike at 3 o’clock on Tuesday afternoon and did not resume work to-day. A general meeting of all the company's workers was held this morning and other departments, with the exception of the 35 slaughtermen concerned, started work as usual. Later there was a conference between representatives of the strikers and the National Service and Labour Departments. The dispute at the works was caused by the direction of a freezng worker in the Army to employment at the works. This man was released for military service after a survey of the freezing industry by the National Service Department and was in camp when the killing season opened. When he reported to the works it was found that there was no vacancy as the position he occupied previously was filled by men who had returned after military service overseas. The man directed to the \Morks was released few: employment in the freezing and normally would return to the Army unless directed elsewhere. The general manager of the company, Mr. N. S. Wyber, said to-day that the workers had advised him that a meeting would be held at the works at 8 o'clock on Thursday to consider the position. The strike had arisen over the staffing of the works and the matter was in the hands of the National Service and Labour Departments. Meanwhile, 3000 lambs were waiting to be killed. The secretly of the Feezing Wcta'-ts’ Unic.?, Mi. H. G. Kilpatrick, taia that offiv.a.’; he know nothing about the strike as the matter had not been referred to him by the works branch of the union Until the matter had been referred to him and he knew the mcn'> point of view he felt that ha should not comment.