Watersiders Strike Over Meat Coupons

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 61, 15 March 1944, Page 4

Watersiders Strike Over Meat Coupons

FOUR GANGS REFUSE WORK AT CHELSEA (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, March 14. Four gangs of waterside workers refused to work overtime on a ship at the Chelsea sugar works to-night because they were unable to obtain a full meat meal there without surrendering coupons. The men, who worked until 5 p.m. and were expected to continue from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. alter being provided with a meal by the shipping company, announced during the day that they intended exercising their right of finishing work at five ! o’clock. Since meat rationing started on March 6, meals consisting of un- ! rationed meat have been provided for waterside workers required to continue working in the evenings at Chelsea. The men working on the city wharves do not get extra meat coupons when they are required to work after their evening meal. During a night shift between 11 p.m. ana 7 a.m. they are given a full meat meal without surrendering coupons as this is regarded as an “extraordinary” meal. According to a shipping company official representations had been made to the Food Controllers in Auckland and Wellington about meat meals for the waterside workers at Chelsea. It had been stated that the men were not entitled to a full meat meal as if they were anywhere else but at Chelsea they would have to produce a coupon for a meat meal.