Freezing Workers Are Not Biting

Chronicle (Levin), 14 March 1949, Page 5

Freezing Workers Are Not Biting

AUCKLAND, Mareft 13. Mem'bers of the Auckland branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, at a special meeting today, reversed the decision made by the executiveTast Monday to boycott goods being l-ailed to and from firms on the "blaek list." The ban was never effective in the yards at the Auckland railway station beeause of the shunters' refusal to operate it but as a result of a decision by the shunters at Otahuhu, will not handle stoek wagons for the Southdown freezing works. Strong efforts have been made recently to embroil the Freezing Workers' Union in the dispute but the men have refused to take part in it. At a recent meeting of the union when several hundred members were present, the militants were severely outnumbered and the great majority of the men showed they did not want to become jnvolved. Guards were posted on Saturday at all gates on the King's wharf and Export wharf cool stores of the Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company. They were kept under eonstant surveillanee by a police patrol car. -This action, it was stated, was taken after two prominent trades union officials and two freezing works- employees — who were reported to have been paid off Friday — had- sought to address the men in the stores to enlist their support for the boycott. The allegations are that unauthorised persons entered the works eariy- Saturday morning, apparentiy walking in with employees, and were asked to leave which they did. Union officials attempting to persuade freezing works employees to joint in the boycott are alleged to have said they would return before midday when the stores closed down for the weekend but they had not been back by then. It is stated a similar 'approach was made to the shunters to join the boycott but that the overtures were ignored. There is a definite split in the unionists on the boycott issue. The steamer Northum-berland, which watersiders refused to work beeause 10 men were dismissed for refusing to unload soda ash for the boycotted Penrose glassworks, has been idle since Tuesday morning. No call for labour was made on the waterfront on .Saturday but seven gangs who had finished work on the Monowai and other shlps >on Friday, were transferred to the Northnmberland. They did not report for.: work and^were automatieally piaced on penalty. ; The total humber^ of watersiders placed on penalty for refusing to work the North'um-bei'land is now about 250.; The waterfront industry authority is expected to meet within the next few days to eonsider the employers' application to have the Northumberland declared a prpference ship. Two ships loading food for Britain, the Fordsdaje and Trojan Star, are expected to be affected again tomorrow' by the union ban on the produce of the: Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company.