‘DISPUTES COINCIDENTAL'

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30959, 15 January 1966, Page 3

‘DISPUTES COINCIDENTAL'

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, January 14. The coincidental idleness of three freezing works this week because of worker-man-agement differences is in no way an indication of any planned union stoppage on a national basis in the near future.

Confirmation of this was given today by Mr F. E. McNulty, secretary of the Freezing Works’ Association, the body which embraces the majority of meat-killing trade unions in the country.

Mr McNulty said the disputes at the Auckland plant of Hellaby’s, the works of Thomas Borthwick and Sons (Aasia.) Ltd., at Belfast, and at the Waitaki Farmers’ Freezing Company’s Pukeuri works near Oamaru, were mainly purely localised in nature. “In these matters, the unions concerned have acted on their own. They have received no directions from our organisation. Their actions are not part of any national stoppage plan. We have no such plan,” he said. But Mr McNulty did not rule out the possibility of some industrial strife cropping up and affecting worker groups as a whole —trouble which had links with the disputes in hand this week. “Two problems facing us at the moment are causing the association great concern,” he said. The first was the application made, and agreed to in conciliation before Christmas, for payment for knife-sharpen-ing and cleaning of working

equipment and the agreement for three weeks’ holiday pay. The association had understood that the payments of the money were retrospective to December 20. “But there are now doubts that the managements consider this is the case. It is understood that in some works, the management has issued instructions about the non-payment of the money at the date set—instructions which are not in line with our thoughts,” said Mr McNulty. “The employers’ attitude is that the payments did not come into force on December 20 and will take effect only after the award had been ratified by the Arbitration Court.” It was this difference of opinion which saw 600 workers go home from the Belfast works after an early-morning

meeting yesterday. The men, however, were back on duty today. . “We hope that on this question there has only been a misunderstanding on the part of the management. I’m convinced that it is, and that the problem can be ironed out in discussions which we are attempting to arrange for next week,” said Mr McNulty. Mr McNulty said the slow movement of stock to works in several places was also upsetting workers. This had resulted in staff shortening with a number of men being put off. “Our living is tied up in this. We feel that when it’s necessary for the Government to call for increased overseas exports, the farmers should face up to their responsibilities. The farmers might have economic problems rt the

moment, but it is also a problem for us with men out of work.”

A spokesman for the trade said that, in general, most works were behind with their killing tallies compared with other years.

“Normally, this is a big kill period, but the extraordinary season climatically has meant a great growth rate of grass with farmers holding back stock as a result,” he said. This meant a higher price placed on stock which, in turn, meant other increased prices. If a farmer put his lambs in for killing, he had to pay more money for replacement sheep. It also caused a higher price for killing.

“When all this happens, it is generally reflected right down the line in the industry. Shipping companies, for instance, have to move the meat and it causes problems w’ n the quantity is not coming forward in the usual fashion." He said present indications were for a long killing season, probably extending into August.