DAIRY INDUSTRY UNREST

Chronicle (Levin), 4 February 1947, Page 7

DAIRY INDUSTRY UNREST

— Press Association

Farmers Ask for Meeting With Gorernment

By Telegraph

WELLINGTON, Feb. 3. A decision to write to the Prime Minister im'mediately to ask for the reopeniiig- of the sublect of this season's price and to call together the Dairy Board's Doniinion Conference as ; early as possible in.Marchj Was made at a meeting of the Dairy Industry Couneil. Reeently. the Government's decision to revoke the ,second sehedule crf the Factories Aet has , caused widespread unrest within the dairy industry. : It is stated that one effeet is that dairy factories, though compelled to work seven days a week during the fiush of the season, wiil have to pay penalty rates for overtirne work even where this work is car-

ried out as part oi the employees 40-hours week. , Farm workers and farmers now take the view that they stand alone in New Zealand in having to work at the week-ends without receiving overtirne pay. The Dairy Industry Couneil set up a special eommittee to bring down facts regakding the new position, this eommittee being Messrs. W. E. Hale (Turua).' ehairman of the Dairy Board, C. p; Agar (Christchurch), W. Marshall (Hamilton), and II. E. Blyde (Lepperton). The eommittee will report back to the couneil just prior to the Dominion Dairj Conference and will presenb a fuli report to the conference which is the body that formulates dairy industry poliey. The letter forwarded to the Prime Minister was signed by Mr. Hale and is as follows :-^— "Yesterday and today a special meeting oi the Dairy Industry Couneil was held for the purpose of discussing the situation created by industrial developments and the action taken by the Government in issuing an Order-in-Council revoking dhe modilieation order of the Factories Aet affecting creameries and dairy f'actoi# ies.. It is the desire of the couneil to place on record their protest at the Government's action in bringing down fhis order while negotiations -were proceedmg with- the workers in tegard to wages and condi'fipns . under the l.'C. iind A. Aet. ' If is, to say the least, unusual and most undesirable "that ' G'oVernment ' action should be. taken hiyhilst. iiegotiations are.iat a sta'^e vvhefe matters are sub-jUdice. j"The GbVernhient 's action has caused great unrest within the industry. The Dairy Board and Couneil are receiving requests for Idie reconvening-'of the Dominion Dairy Conference for the purpose of askiiig the Government ' tu place farmers and farm workers in respect of labour reward, on the same basis of payment for Sat urday, Sunday and holidays, as lias been granted to factory em ployees and other industrial workers under the Government 'i 40-hour A\-eek poliey. "Having recorded the Daiiy Industry Couneil 's protest it now remains for me, 011 behalf oi' thc industry, to draw the Government's attention to the effeet oi such action whielr, when applied to daii'y farm labour, will oonsid erably increase costs beyond tiu basis provided in the price reached for the present season. It, h therefore desirecl, in tenns of thc 'discussions avc had with the IStabi(isation Commission, to reopen tln ((uestion of the eurrent season '1priee. The Dairy Inclustrv Couneil has appointed a eommittee ii: the hope that this matter can bc diseussed with the Government s that thc couneil may be in a position to make a reeommenclation tc tbe Dominion Conference. Tc this end I have to advise that thc eommittee will be available to meet yourself or your Ministers or to have preliminary discussions with the Stabilisation Commission 011 dates and at times to be umtually agreed upon. In view of the very considerable unrest within the' industry, to which I have previously referred, it will be necessary for the Dairy Indusstry Couneil to intimate pnblicly that representations are being made on this matter and further that "it is proposed to hold a special Dominion Dairy Conference. during the tfiopth of March."