STRIKE OF SIX MEN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 188, 15 January 1912, Page 5

STRIKE OF SIX MEN.

AT TARANAKI PRODUCERS 00. FREEZING WORKS.

Six employees of the Taranaki Freeing Works at Moturoa struck work on Saturday morning. It is stated that the management holds that the men are paid better wages and work under better conditions than other works employed on like jobs. Their ordinary rate of pay has been 8s per day, but on shipping days, that is when the men are engaged loading, they have been paid 2s an hour for work done before 8 o'clock in the morning, and Is Gd per hour after that time, and on these days, although they have been allowed to get away early in the afternoon, at times varying from 3 o'clock to 4 o'clock, they have always been paid for the full day. The men have also been granted a weekly half-holiday,' although in the height of . the season they may not have been able to get away before 2.30 or 3 o'clock, but during two-thirds of the year,they have been off from 1 o'clock. They have also had One week's holiday per year, as well as all statutory holidays, on full pay also. They have also been paid in full if at any time they have been absent from their work during temporary illness. THE MEN'S STATEMENT. To the Editor. Sir, —Kindly gjant me space to place before your readers the true facts of the case concerning the trouble that ex»> ists between the Taranaki Producers Freezing Works and their employes. On Monday, January 8, we made a request for an increase of pav of ls&er day (8s to 9s), and our prrficipal re&Jon for making this request was on account of the increased cost of living, and .also • the laborious nature of the work. 1 When it is known that sometimes V e are kept working in'the freezing chambers at a temperature of an average' of 23 degrees below zero, for a period, and then brought outside to shovel coal from trucks into the coal bins, and then go back again in the freezing chamber, it will be readily admitted that 8s per day ie not a fair wage for such work, even if we could, live decently on that amount. It has been publicly stated (with some degree of authority) that on shipping' days we are paid 2s per hour overtime, and Is Gd per hour ordinary. The truij position is that on these day§ we are , paid 2s per hour for work performed bar ' fore 8 aim., and Is <3d per hour after fa a.m.: up till the time of finishing the "shipping," usually about 11.30 a.m., and we are then paid at the rate ,of Is pei '■ hour; ,

It is also stated that the men have been granted a weekly -half-holiday* •< > This is only a half-truth. During the winter months we have had the halfholiday, but during the summer months the half-holiday usually commences at 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and frequently it happens we do not get any half-holiday at all. Also, in reference to the statement that one week's holiday is granted an- ; nually, the actual position is: One man with four years' service has never had a holiday. As a matter of fact, he lost four or Ave days on one occasion, on private business, and this was stopped out of his wages. Another man, with three years' service, has had one week's holiday on pay during that period. Still another, with three years' service, has had one week on pay during that period. None of the other men concerned have had any annual leave. In the manager's letter, declining our request for the increase, he states that we have been paid £lO each for which we did not work (the truth of this we challenge). Then it must be obvious that the time is opportune for the owners of the freezing works to have a thorough investigation into the whole of the workings at the works, including our grievances. and if this is done we are prepared to meet them face to face and prove our side of the case.

In conclusion I would like to mention that included with the writer of this there are men concerned in this dispute who have served their time at the painting trade, and that have been utilised at their trade in connection with painting the works and dwellings attached thereto, which has effected a considerable saving to the directors in consequence, and yet their request for a fair rate of pay is met with a very curt refusal. Thanking you in anticipation,—l am, etc., ONE OF THE SIX.