Walk-Out Because Work Cut

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30957, 13 January 1966, Page 3

Walk-Out Because Work Cut

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, January 12. No stock has been killed at the works of the R. and W. Hellaby Freezing Company since Tuesday morning.

Freezing workers walked off the job when the company refused a minimum payment of £5 10s a day to workers. The president of the Auckland Freezing Workers’ Union (Mr F. H. Barnard) said to-1 day that the dispute had; arisen as a result of a short-1 age of stock for slaughter at llellaby's. The firm had reduced working hours and this I was cutting weekly wages to! about £2O, considerably less | than the average for this time; of the year, he said. “The union has given the] company two choices—to pay] a minimum of £5 10s a day, or j to dismiss 36 seasonal em I ployees who have agreed tc leave and thus provide extra] work for the more permanent! employees,” he said. Ii

The company had rejected both. A company official, Mr A. E. Peach, had no comment to make tonight. Mr Barnard said the payment of a minimum of £5 10s a day had been requested I only until killings increased, j Although the company had asked for an extension of existing conditions until Monday, there was still no guar[antee of an increase in killi ing. Mr Barnard said a stop-work meeting of all employees ; would be held at Hellaby’s ! tomorrow morning to decide |what action would be taken. ; A similar dispute at the : Westfield Freezing Company ] had been overcome by disI missing almost three chains lof workers.