FREEZERS HOLD-UP.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 2 December 1926, Page 5

FREEZERS HOLD-UP.

WORK AT WAINGAWA. PROCEEDING SATISFACTORILY. Enquiries at the Waingawa Freezing Works this’ afternoon elicited the fact that killing operations are proceeding satisfactorily with the volunteer butchers. CONFERENCE IN WELLINGTON. NO DECISION REACHED. There is so far no alteration in the dispute between the freezing workers and the companies. Representatives of both sides met at Wellington yesterday, and the conference lasted all day and well into the night, the participants finally adjourning till to-day when the matters affecting’tho parties will bo again discussed. * It is uuderstood that at one stage of the proceedings last- evening it was anticipated that a settlement upon the chief points at issue might be reached, but shortly after this the conference adjourned till to-day,, and the statement -that there was notning tangible to” report was made. The award which is at present in force 'was formulated in 1921 by the Arbitration Court, and since that time increases have been granted, the last of these being in 1924, when the minimum rate was raised to 2/- per hour. In September, 1925, the court increased the basic rate of wages from 1/9 to 1/10 pe\hour,, the pronouncement stating that the freezing workers had already participated in this rise. The unions wished for greater wages, however, and asked the co-operation of tlie companies in approaching the court for a revision of the wages schedule. This the companies refused to do, and the subsequent, action of the -unions on the one hand and the stoic resistance of: the companies on the other have led to the present position. The companies eonsiiler that the present position of the industry, and in fact the country, is such that no further increases in wages will be possible, and it is suggested that difficulty will be experienced in maintaining the present rate. On the other hand the workers hold that their fight for bigger wages is perfectly justified, and it is pointed out on their behalf that it would have been reasonable to expect the representatives of the companies to have met in the first place and discussed the position fully. They are of opinion that they should have at least some word in the determination of their rates of pay, and it was with definitely formulated plans that they reached, the conference yesterday.