DAIRY FACTORY WORKERS' WAGE CLAIMS

Chronicle (Levin), 28 January 1947, Page 7

DAIRY FACTORY WORKERS' WAGE CLAIMS

-Press Assvciation

By Telegraph-

WELUljNLri'UJN, Jan.^f. When the Conciliation Council resumed the. hearing of elaims of dairy workers adjoumed on January 10 be-. cause of a disagreement on the wages question, Mr. L. R. Robertson, Auckland, advocate for the workers, said that at the last sitting they had niade it clear they were anxious for a settlement. Considerable progress had been made and he could say the assessors for the workers were not now so rigid in their demands as they had been. He felt confident a settlement could be concluded at the present sitting on the important question of wages. Mr. J. R. Haulon, advocate for the employers, said they would like to know liow the counter^proposals of the employers had been received. Mr. Robertson said the employers' counter proposals had been submitted to the various un^ons and they had been rejected. Dairy factory employment was a scasonal work and the workers tliought there should be some compeusation to olfset this. Only lialf the number of nien- were omployed in tlie winter compared witli those employed in the husli of the season. Workers in f other industries received much higher wages than were paid to regular dairy factory workers. : Mr. W. Marshall, chairmau of the New Zealand Cooporativc Dairy Co., ■Ltd., oue of the assessors for the employers, said he w:as- tired of talk wluch led uowliere. The employers wauted to know where they stood: He suggested th Council slionld go iuto committee to enalde;some strjiight talking to be doiip^ . This course Vas adopicd and at, tlie: resumpti'oii bf;, bpeiiv pfoc'eedin'g'iy Mr. lianlon, in reply to" Mr. Robertson, .said if tlie ■" eiiiployiifs ! cOUltl obtain 'the undo'rtakijng; th'ey h4d ;iisk'ed,- that nient for hver'tiihe j Oft Sutiirdays;. ;or. tiundays wouildinbt eixcebd ciou.bl^ oril|4»! ary rates,- they would give favourable consideration to an alteration of the wage offer previously made. Discussions proceeded and the hearing will be continued tomorrow. .