Work Resumes At Alliance

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31006, 11 March 1966, Page 12

Work Resumes At Alliance

(New Zealand Press Association)

INVERCARGILL, March 10.

Work will resume at the Alliance freezing works tomorrow after a threeday stoppage.

The decision to return to work was announced today in a joint statement by officials of the Alliance branch of the Freezing Workers’ Union and Mr B. A. Manson, acting district president of the Otago-Southland Freezing Workers’ Union. The works have been idle since just after 1 p.m. on Tuesday when butchers left the chain in protest over the dismissal of a butcher the day before. On Wednesday morning the Alliance branch of the union met tn consider the dispute, but no decision was announced. However, at a meeting between union and Alliance company representatives in the afternoon, a formula for a

return to work was agreed upon. The meeting was chaired by Mr M. J. Michael, district officer of the Department of Labour. The formula was discussed by the Alliance branch of the union yesterday morning at the Alliance. A secret ballot was subsequently held and the proposal to submit the dispute to an independent arbitrator was aprroved by a substantial majority. Whakatu Stoppage Unofficial talks were held today in an effort to end the dispute at the Whakatu works. Hastings, which has caused the works to be idle all this week. Many of the more than 600 men involved have taken on seasonal work in the district. Mr D. R. Little, general manager of the Hawke’s Bay farmers meat company said this morning that he did not think the stoppage in killing would be causing undue anxiety to farmers concerned. Some of the company’s clients might be diverting stock elsewhere.