MEAT-WORKS STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1369, 21 February 1912, Page 5

MEAT-WORKS STRIKE.

SETTLEMENT IN SIGHT,

WOBKS MAT OPEN ON MONDAY. Tho conference, of workmen and employers concerning the terms for the resumption of xvork at the freezing works at flffaliauranpi ami Pclone sat fnu.-i 7 o clock until shortly after 10 o'clock last night. Air. ]'. llnlly, Conciliation Commissioner, presided. Jt xvns impossible to arrange for tho ennferenco to meet earlier in Ihe (lay, localise several of (ho heads of departments at tho Meat Export Company's xvorks were busily engaged taking meat out nf the chambers for shipment, by the Tainui, llad the conference sat in the davlime, it. is practically certain that the disputo xvould hax-p been wholly settled. When the meeting rose hist night tho onlv in-rui-ni.ilion given (o the press was "that very good progress had been made, that the xvholo log had ljl-en traversed, and that tho men had been offered and had accepted as satisfactory certain increases in xvages. - There now'remain to bo discussed only three points raised in tho union's demands under the heading nf general conditions," anil it is not anticipated that there will be much-difficulty about coming to an agreement concerning them. Ihe conference resumes at 2 p.m. to-day. Tho men are particularly pleased because they consider the strike is over, and it is understood that arrangements will at once be put in train for the opening of the xvorks on Monday, Tho reason for so long delay is that timc'is required to got a steady supply of sheep to keep tho xvorks runn.ing xvhen opened. One rather serious effect which the strike has had is that it has caused some of the slaughtermen to migrate in search ol xvork. Some havo gono to other companies in New Zealand, and others hnvo gono to Australia. When the works reopen they will not have a full board of butchers, nnd it is extremely doubtful whether any of those who havo left will come back again until next season. It appears that tho alleged doadlork of Monday night xvas not quito such a serious affair as the union secretary (Mr. M. J. Reardon) supposed. Officials of the companies all agreed that' the statement made by him that evening xvas almost correct, and one of the passages, which xvas only partly correct, wast "The threatened action of the employers would mean that to make up for the overtime tho rate of Is. 4(1. and Is. lOd. noxv paid xvould ho reduced," It is nowstated that there was no intention on tho part of tho companies to reduce these, rates. The fact is that discharging is alxvays done at night, and Hie rate of Is. 10(1. is supposed to be an overtime rate. The oxvners xvero xvilling to reduce tho rate lor discharging to Is. i\<\„ and to allow ox-crtimc on that, but they refused to. pay anything additional to what xvas really an overtime'rate, Information as to xvhat xvas agreed upon regarding this point xvas refused to the press last night, but apparently the difficulty xvas got oxer.

Ml?. RALLY'S STATEMENT. The following statement, made by Mr. Hally yesterday, is in the nnturo of n reply to Mr. Reardon's statement of the previous evening: — "I regret very much that anything has been said in a public way that would tend to militate against an adjustment of tho difficulty. It is true that a difficulty has arisen in respect to the matter of "overtime. Of what realty happened during tho chairmanship of tho lion, C, M. Luko I have no personal knowledge. I know nothing of that beyond what was made publio in the press. I certainly was of the opinion that, in fixing the rates of pay yesterday, we wore hxing the ordinary rates; that is to say, work done during any eight hours of the twenty-four, and that if any time was worked in excess of the eight hours mentioned, it would bo paid at the ovortimo rates of lime and a quarter. "I think tlio whole difficulty has arisen owing to a misunderstanding in respect to the rate paid to freezing chamber hands. Two classes of work are dealt with, anil different rates provided. There does not appear to be very much difference in tlio actual work or exertion of the men in respect to eithor.Mexcept that in discharging later hour's "''would probably be __ required to be worked. It is quite possible that the employers acted in good faith in paying the increased amount, viz., Is. lOd. per hour (for ordinary chamber work the men receive Is. Id. per hour). If, as I assume, the work is exactly tho same, then the whole difficulty can be adjusted by fixing an ordinary rate- for the work, covering both classes, and if work is irequired after eight horn's it could be met by payment of the overtime rates, as in other branches.

"Notwithstanding the opinions expressed bv Mr. Rcnrdon, I still think that both the representatives of the companies and tlio men nro anxious that a settlement should be arrived at. Tho whole difficulty has arisen more through a"misunderstanding of tlio position than through a desiro to frustrate an amicable arrangement." MEETING OP TnE UNION.

A meeting of the Union was held at Pctono yesterday morning, and the pro-' ccedings' of the conference of the day before were fullv explained to the men by Mr Rcai'don, the secretary of. the union. Tho point upon which the the conference had " disagreed* was lully discussed. The union, it is understood, rejected a proposal to join the federation of Labour; on the contrary they passed a vote of confidence in t!ho (secretary aud the Strike Committee.