SIGNS OF SETTLEMENT

Chronicle (Levin), 28 March 1947, Page 7

SIGNS OF SETTLEMENT

—Press Assoctation

UNIONISTS AGREE TO BUTCHERS GETTING MEAT

By : felegraph

CHRISTCHURCH, Ma^ch:.27,. : Signs-:df a Settle'ifieht: ofi the 'strikc iny olyiing . i ,seV6n s Oafiterbury freezing •works, : w'e);e -s^qii; early this afternoon Tlie - conji|iue(l,;dIbsiug of sotne Christ " bhureh " retail butehers' shops • becaust of the cesSation of' nieat supplies from the wholesale meat department of the Islington works, did llot appear likely. • Expressing its wi,sh that the public should- not be invol'ved and that the dispute should be coiifined to the export meat trade, the Canterbury Freeidng and Related Trades Union today agreed to non-union permanent employees of the freezing companies and proprietors of butcheries removing frozen meat from the chambers at thc works ror supply to the shops which had to closc but the union made it clear that the eniployment of any outside labour or of works employees belonging to other unions, would precipitate furthei developments. Progress was also made in the negotiations betiveen the union and Ma'ster Butchers' Association for a supply of i'resh meat from the Christchurch city abattoirs at Sockburn to butchers wli'o normally are supplied from Islington, and a further conference will be lield tomorrow to deeide the terms on which union butchers will kill stock. "The effect of the freezing workers' dispute on retail business is au imfortunate by-produet and the union is as anxious as anybody else to see the difficulty overcome as it has no wish to deprive the people of Christchurch of their iiormal nieat supplies," said the union 's secretary, Mr. H. G. Kilpatrick, when reporting the progress of negotiatious with the Master Butchers' Association for a continued supply of t'resh meat all round. Today was the first hopcful day. in the dispute since it began last Friday. Some difficulties are being smoothed out and headwav is being made in the negotiations for an adequate fresh meat supply to the city of Christchurch and country distriets apd some steps are being taken to settle the dispute which was extende.d by the decision of the Smithfield and. Pareora workers on Wednesday night. at a full meetiqg in Timaru, to seek other eniployment. With no meat to sell about 20 per cent of the butchers ' - shops in and about Christchurch today were closed. ' ' Unfortunately. the public are inclined to be a little bit panicky and those shops fo.rtunate enough to have a good supply of meat . had a very busy time, " said ofiicials of the Christchurch Master Butchers' Association, as they Ieft the Trades Hall after what they described as a most satisfactory and amicable discussion with' tlf'e -officials of the Freezing Workers Union, on making meat supplies ' available to all butchers.