SLAUGHTERMEN'S PAY

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1611, 30 November 1912, Page 3

SLAUGHTERMEN'S PAY

, THE DiSPUTE AS TO RATES. WHAT THE ..UNIONS HAVE DONE. No aew move was made yesterday in the matter of the dispute looming between th<S Slaughtermen's federation and the freszing companies here and elsewhere, but it is proixablo that negotiations will be renewed in the course ot a day or two. Mr. 41. J. Reardon, secretary of Mo federation, made a statement to this eifect to a Dominion reporter yesterday. It haxl previously been stated by' representatives of the companies that they knew nothing of previous negotiations having been entered upon. Mr. lteardon 6aid tnat the union did approach the companies, but the now domamis were not considered, and it was probable, in view of the fact' thot tho companies evidently did not consider themselves aware of wliat the union was doing, that the unions would renew negotiations. The companies insist that the men ought to carry out the obligation imposed upon them by the agreement arrived at in Januray, 19i0, in tile following clause:—: - "The New Zealand .Federated Slaughtermen's Association shall further agree to undertake by means of separate . agreements to use its best endeavours to renew this agreement in all its essential details at the expiration ■of 1 the above-mentioned term (three years) for a further period of two years." Mr. lteardon admitted that the intention of the clause was as interpreted by the companies. "But,". he said ,"that undertaking was made by four men during the conference of 1910. It was originally intended to cover Auckland, Poverty Bay, Wellington, Otago,* Southland, and Nelson. The Canterbury Union was carrying on negotiations by itself. After the agreements, were completed,and signed by the companies a .legal. v flaw was: discovered which necessitated their being modified slightly,, and signed again by. the companies. On the second occasion the agreements were repudiated'by the Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company, the J. G. Ward Company; Ltd. (Southland), and the Southland frozen Meat Company. So that that undertaking is now. limited to Poverty Bay (three sheds), Wellington Province (nine sheds), and Nelson. "At the conference of slaughtermen held this year, remits" were received from all over New Zealand, but in the area within which tho clause is 'now operating," continued Mr. Eeardoni "there .was no. request for the increase of the rate' to 30s. except from one small shed in Wellington I'rovinoe. We claim-/that -in . the area where the federation. gave - this undertaking the spirit of- it has." been observed. ■/ - At., the ,- * conference the voting by' membership ..on the question of the iiicreaso was as follows: —For the increase—Canterbury 317, Auckland 61, Otago 76, Southland. Gl; against —Wellington 272, Poverty- Bay That is to say, an absolute majority of the men throughout New/Zealand were in favour of the increase,, even allowing that these two districts-;';', were . unanimously against, it, which, of 'course, they were not. "We say that we did all we could' to carry out the - intentions of that agreement as to the extension of the period, but as we have ■already pointed out to the employers, it would be quite useless to endeavour ;'to' get. a renewal in•; view of the' fact that-a majority of the men throughout New Zealand are. opposed to it. It would simply., mean that the men would repudiate the decision of their officers. It must' be : remembered, too, that this .clause, was-.agreed to by. four men, who had no opportunity of referring it to members.. ..Also, the personnel of the unions is continually changing, for (he seasons are so' short that the men have to go to Australia every year in order to get. employment." All the unions .have now cancelled registration except Canterbury and Auckland. Sir. Reardon said that Canterbury had already 'decided upon the step, and that the application' would be in tho office of the Labour Department in a few days. The Auckland Union is in rather a diffor-ent-i>ositionj:boing under an award which does hot" expire untile October next. In. any case, Auckland is not a great frozen meat centre. Mr. Keardon said, that whatever action the federation would, take -would- be .united - action, : and that- they fully expected, to' meet- opposition-'-from .at least some 1 of. the companies. The agreements signed in 1910 expire on January 17 next. ... ' . In reply to Mr. Boardon's statement that the new demands had already been submitted to the' companies, Mr.'W. G. Foster, managing director of the Wellington Moat Export Company, and chairman of the North, Island Association of Companies, said tliat,the companies had had a , conference /some-, time ago, aud they had thought ' that. it was a good opportunity to raise the question-of the extension of the agreement. -'Mr. Eeardon had come along with, new, proposals, but the, companies,' in view of the undertalcing that-the period bf the' agreement would be extended, jvould not consider new demands! •