TROUBLE AT THE ABATTOIRS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 179, 20 July 1908, Page 3

TROUBLE AT THE ABATTOIRS

liOltOUtiH COUJs'tU ANU SLAUGH'J EKiMRNTfcj UinION.

l io recent lining, for it amounted to •'■U, ol slaughtermen tit the abattoirs! ;"! U '? U to , hulus ' has brought the , ° L ?" la ' j1 ' a3 employers, into tiuiible with the abattoir hands, v.. „•, sut ' ro . tar y , o£ the Auckland ' ••i Union has written lo llju J>orouglt Council as follows:—"Yoi '! 1 e rL 'l ,o rtcd to have made a eiianje ol daiuayiug hides against jour slaughter- " at the abattoirs. % Union eonmis that such charge is groundless v!'/ 1 Tiwri 101 - tllu fo " owill S reasons, (J) Jhe Jiides in question, 21 m. | number, were removed from the abattoir three months before the alleged damage was reported; (2) that flic 1' des Were a month in the hands of o lieis prior lo tanning after leaving tic abat oir and may have been cut maliciously during such period; (3) tlic men charged were never upproach'cl lor an explanation, neither were* U'cy wunied as required by every award n the Dominion; (4) that the slaughtermen at your abattoirs hold a record and the highest testimony for comnet.'nce and careful flaying, having lopped "wrket for years; (5) we think we can easily show personal a nd mercenary lcanons for the introduction of these ialse and cruel charges against our. members Who were iiguratively hun«without I lie common justice of a I trial. Ami dually had the charges been correct the penalties, (is per hide, could not apply to a line of 21 hides unless maliciously committed; and, if so damaged, why not detected when delivery was taken three months previously! My Union respectfully submits the a'dvisaoility of your Council maldnn- a public explanation and witluliawaf of tile trui»]>c<l-nj) charges." Me clause in the Abattoir Committees report dealing with the question read: "Hie Committee, having received a complaint re iiides damaged at tlwr abattoir, visited Air. Jones' taunerv and inspected 21 found them cut and badly scored.'' The committee recommended: "That the manager be instructed to collect from the slaughtermen the .sum of Us claimed I>v Messrs. Gainlin and Co. for hides cut at t'lie abattoir." At Monday's meeting of the Council the latter clause was altered to read tnat the manager be instructed to refund the sum of £6 Gs," etc. the cxioxists. qLAnis.

i i i , Jjllst ' secretary of the Auckland Lmon, lias forwarded a cony I ot the award to the Borough Council on behalf of Hie newly formed .New 1 lymoutli branch with a request for the observance of the award at the town abattoirs, lie also states that an application will be made at the next sitting of the Arbitration Court for an attachment unless the award is accented bv the Council,

_ The award stipulates the following lates ioi- killing at piecework:—Beet per carcase at present abattoirs, killing ami dressing and running oJInl without assistance, 2s (id; with assistance, at and other abattoir or slaughterhouse where tlie.v are killing continuously on full time 2s; rains, 5d per head; pigsj up to 1201b, Is; from 1201b to 2001b, Is , ovc , r 2001| J> beer prices; mutton and lambs at present abattoirs, present rate of pay; at any 'other abattoirs, with assistance, .tl as per 100; lambs >«tCk-set with assistance, 4d per head: gutmen £2 us per week. No dead stock to be skinned more than twelve! hours-after death; double price to be paid for any skinned within that time.' At present the men engaged at the local abattoirs are paid a weekly wage.