THE FREEZING WORKS STRIKE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3389, 19 January 1920, Page 4

THE FREEZING WORKS STRIKE.

Like a «bolt from the blue the news‘ spread_ on Saturday morning that »3ve*l'y employee at the Otaihupe Meat and Produce Comlsall:c¢lv freezing works had left their duties, and had] struck work owing to some difference] with their u:+mpvloyers. The Very fact! that it was next to impossible to ascertain. the cause of trouble, and that! not a man remained on -duty, notwit'hstand.ing that some eight hundred] cm-erases of mutton were awaiting re-E mova] to the freezing chamber, gavei thee. impreyzsion hercabout that the « strike was general, and rumours Were! afloat that men at works in other parts of the North Island were also u out, added to this impression. Even A now no satisfactor-y explanation is‘ forthcoming to account for a, iargc body of men leaving :vllCh important work at a. stage which would involve very great loss unless other nrleansi were available of getting the Wol'k~ done. No ofliciral news has been made P~Vail%ble, but it is said that the men are perfectly satisfied with remuneration they receive, the only real trouble i being narrowed flown to ineflicioncy 111 I the Cookhouse. Cozixpisiiits have been the ~ubject of rumour fox: some. Weeks

PB-St that service in the cooking do-I partrnent Was so bad that it was very‘ ‘clitficrult for men to get their dinnerl in the time allowed. It is also current I'umoul’ that some of the men are} '7.).ll.‘\'lollS' to be brought into Taihape‘ for their dinner, and have 1-equestecl tl-.e( ‘compil-“Y t 0 Drovide them with free} m""'anS Of getting to and from Taihapc 1 in the time allotted for the km-iddayi ‘meal- of 'Collil‘s=e' s-uch a rctluesll is be‘: yond the bounds of all reason ‘but if 1111011 cannot be served with m*oret Dl‘omDtitude‘, we think the compa.ny Would be quite pl‘(}pal-pd to remedy ISur'h a defect. If tho. cookhouse diffi*ollltY is the real cause of the Stl‘lkC,', We think the men have nwit-her done What is best in the cause of labour. 1101‘ what is‘ due to the company which employs them, We are inclincd to the opinion that listeam. liammer has been called upon to do Work that would have been better and more easily performed with a tackhammer; and we belir'\'e that there is notliing to '.\':ll':':xllt the men I‘efl‘ainill~g from taking Ul"il' “Sll3l places in the works again this morn ing. Our columns are open equally to employees and employers for the Dlll‘pose of informing the public of any disturbance in labour niattefi that affect the pulblic interest, to publish one side is rather calculated to injure and inflame. the other. We are hoping, howver, that Taihapc’s little strike is at an end and that all parties. are: quite satisfied. V