SLAUGHTERMEN ON STRIKE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 807, 30 October 1929, Page 1

SLAUGHTERMEN ON STRIKE

Abattoirs and Hellaby’s Affected

KILLING RATES IN DISPUTE Men Cease Work This Morning S LAUGH r.fc«IOIEX at the City Abattoirs and at the works of Messrs. R. and W. Hellaby, Ltd., ceased killing at 9 o’clock this morning in consequence of a dispute with the employers regarding rates of pay for killing. At 11 o’clock a meeting was held at the conclusion of which it was announced that work would not be resumed. The men then dispersed to their homes. AVith the weekly Westfield sale held on Wednesdays, Thursday and Friday are the big killing days at the works, as it is then that the week-end suppiy of lamb, mutton and beef is prepared for the City’s consumption. Unless arrangements are made to have the stock slaughtered the position is likely to become serious for City butchers who rely on these two works for their supplies.

Despite the assurance given by the employers that little trouble was expected considerable dissatisfaction is said to have existed at both works during the past few days over the killing rates provided in the new butchers’ award which came into force yesterday. The principal complaint is stated to be in regard to the classification of pig-killing as “unskilled labour,” for which payment is now provided for on an hourly basis, instead of on piecework as previously. It is the contention of the employers that with the installation of a mechanical process for dressing pigs the work has become unskilled, all that is required being the actual killing of the pig and opening it up, the removal of the hair and skin being done by machinery. The men formerly made as much as 10s 2d an.hour under piecework, and on an hourly wage footing the minimum is 2s 2d and 2s 3d an hour, according to the work actually done. The employers claim that pig-killing can now be learned in half an hour, and is different from the slaughtering of beef and mutton, which, having to be dressed by haud, is still regarded as skilled work. NEGOTIATIONS FAIL

This morning only a few sheep and ealveh were killed and at about 9 o’clock the men ceased work. Shortly before 11 o'clock Mr. W. E. Sill, secretary of the Butchers' Union, arrived at the City Abattoirs, where both the municipal and Hellaby’s slaughterers had gathered. A meeting which lasted until after 12 o’clock was then held. Meanwhile the Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon, the Town Clerk, Mr. J. S. Brigham. and Mr. M. J. Bennett, chairman of the Market and Stores Committee, had arrived at the works and consulted with Mr. C. Moses, who, in the absence of the manager, Mr. R. W. Rugg, is in charge at the City Abattoirs. After the meeting Mr. Sill informed a Sun representative that Mr. J. Hellaby and Mr. W. Luke, manager for the Hellaby works, had told the men that if they returned to work in the meantime a conference could be held with Mr. P. Hellaby when he returned from Wellington on Friday. Mr. Hellaby then went to the council abattoirs to consult the Mayor and on his return said that the council’s representatives were sorry, but that its works had to be kept open, “which was rather vague,” said Mr. Sill. “Following that, the men had no alternative but maintain the attitude rhey had adopted,” said the secretary. Regarding the dispute. Mr. Sill said that the classification of pig-killing was not the only bone of contention with the slaughtermen. The Arbitration Court had also reduced the killing rates on mutton and lamb, he said, and this without any application in that direction being made by the employers. It is estimated that about a hundred men are affected by the strike. Other departments, such as the fellmongery, etc., will be able to carry on for a short time with the material already available. A Sun representative was informed by one of the men that the working conditions resulting from the mechanical process of killing pigs was very hard, men often collapsing in the summer months as a result of the heat in which they worked. It is understood that an urgent meeting of the Butchers’ Union will be held at the Trades Hall this evening to consider the question. A meeting of slaughtermen was also held at the Trades Hall last evening when there was a large attendance. The decision arrived at by the men was not communicated to the Press, but the result was no doubt the calling out of the men this morning. “WILL KEEP GOING” MASTER BUTCHERS DISCUSS SUPPLIES VOLUNTEER LABOUR MOOTED The news that the butchers had gone out caused a hold-up at the Westfield fat stock sale today. A meeting of the master butchers was held to consider what was to be done, as Wednesday is the day upon which most butchers plan their killings for the week. It is also the day upon which the biggest killings are made at the abattoirs. The meeting was held in camera, but at the conclusion Mr. G. O. Knight, president of the Auckland Master Butchers’ Association, stated that it had been decided to go ahead with the buying. Sufficient volunteers were available to start killing at 1.30 p.m., and it was hoped they would be able to keep sufficient men on the board to supply the retail demand. As the dispute was one between the council

anil the men, he did not anticipate that the shop assistants would go out in sympathy. “We are going to keep going,” said Mr. J. Hellaby, of R. and W. Hellaby, Ltd., chain shop proprietors and exporters. He said that his firm hoped to secure sufficient volunteer labour to keep up with the demand. Messrs. Hellabys, Ltd., have their own works, at which an average stall' of 19 butchers are ordinarily engaged. “We will most likely have to recruit some of our own men as slaughtermen, but we will certainly make every effort to keep up the supply,” said Mr. Thomas Marks, chief buyer for the Auckland Meat Company. The meat company, in addition 1o its shipping trade, has a chain of 39 shops. Auckland's works have been particularly free from labour troubles in recent years. The last strike occurred in November, 1919, when the butchers were out for two months. The volunteer labour at that time was able to meet the demand of the retail trade. At the time of the last strike there was a good quantity of meat held in the freezer. This time, however, stocks of frozen meat have been allowed to drop to comparatively low levels, mostly as the result of the falling market of the past few months. Messrs. R. and W. Hellaby are singularly fortunate in the fact that they were able yesterday to get three or four .lavs’ supply of mutton slaughtered. “EXTREME MEASURES TAKEN” MAYOR EXPRESSES REGRET After his visit to the Municipal Abattoirs the Mayor of Auckland, Mr. George Baildon, issued the following statement to The Sun: “I visited the abattoirs this morning in company with the chairman of the Markets and Stores Committee of the City Council, Mr. M. J. Bennett, and the Town Clerk, Mr. J. S. Brigham. 1 am sorry to find that the men have taken this action. X would have much preferred that they had met the committee before going out. “The council must stand by the award that has been given, as it would have done had it been against the council. Owing to the extreme measures taken by the men, some inconvenience must naturally result. Owing to the arrangements made this morning I do not consider the public will be seriously inconvenienced. "As matters stand at present, I regret I cannot feel justified in discussing the matter with the men's representatives, but if the men are prepared to go back to their work and accept the award, as in my opinion they do, I am prepared, with the chairman of the committee, to consider any points in the court’s finding on which the men may desire to represent their views.” CITY WORKS OPERATING MASTER BUTCHERS KILLING Volunteers were quickly forthcoming at the City Council’s Abattoirs this afternoon. -After lunch the services of a number of master butchers were secured to keep the board going. Although they were fresh to the work, a fairly good output was maintained. Sheep, cattle and pigs were being killed. Beef and mutton butchers are being advertised for by R. and W. Hellaby, Ltd., in this afternoon’s issue. Slaughterhouse assistants are also being sought.