THE FREEZING DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 67, 13 December 1920, Page 4

THE FREEZING DISPUTE

A DEADLOCK REACHED ; t SERIOUS POSITION THREATENING The position in the freezing industry is now serious. The final offer made by the Associated Freezing Companies ha» been rejected by the workers. This oifw of a 20 per cent, increase to the pieceworkers and a 22} per cent, increase to the hourly hands was good only until noon- on Saturday. The breach between the parties appears now to be complete, mid there may be a pauso before further negotiations me arranged. In a statement published by The DOMINION on Saturday, the secretary of tho Freezing Workers' Federation (Mr. F. ,T. Ninll) said that the employers bad refused to confer with the men regarding wages. The offer made by the employer* had been referred to the workers in tho industry, and had been rejected by them throughout New Zealand, Mr. Ninll suggested that the employers would be to blame for continued inactivity at tho freezing works at a time when tho new season's moat should be going out of tho country. ' A brief statement in reply was mad« on Saturday by Mr. J, Milne, general manager of the Wellington Meat Export Company, on behalf of the companies. "I wish to noint out" said Mr. Milne, "that one conference with the employees' representatives was held in October, and at a later conference of freezing companies a committee was Fet up to meet the representatives of the federation. Mr. Niall. on behalf of the federation, declined this conference. Mr. Ninll is now ignoring the fact that the companies have offered to submit the dispute to tho Arbitration Court." All the sheds are idle nt present, but tlie delay in killing and freezing is less grave than It would have been :n eome other years. The amount of sjiace available for free meat is email, most of the shins being engaged still in lifting tho Imperial meat, and moreover the holidays are close at hand. The amount of killing done before Christmas would not be very large in any case. If the companies and the workers do not enmo to terms before the early part of January a very difficult flitnation will arise.