SLAUGHTERMEN'S STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 223, 8 February 1913, Page 5

SLAUGHTERMEN'S STRIKE.

THE POSITION IN CANTERBURY. MORE HOPEFUL OUTLOOK. A NEW AWARD. (Per Press Association). Christchureh, Last Night. Although tlio local meat f c-om-panics an; not yet in a position to announce the date upon which slaughtering operations will begin at their larger works, the situation appears to he more hopeful than it has been for some time past. Applications from men willing to man the killing boards are coming in fairly satisfactorily, though it is questionable how long it will be before the .applications reach a number that will warrant the beginning of operations. News from Marlborough is to the effect that then; is every likelihood of the Picton works starting some time next week, and it is understood that slaughtering operations at the Burnside works, in Otago, may be also started next week. The arrival of an agreement between the companies and slaughtermen's assistants removes one complexity from the situation. Members of the Freezing Works Union do not speak enthusiastically regarding the basis upon which the agreement ha? been reached. In fact, they describe th agreement as a had one, though-admit-ting that it is the best possible that could be arrived at in the circumstances. The fact that they have accepted the agreement somewhat discounts their objections to it, The basis upon which the union desired slaughtermen's assistants to he paid—7s per cent, of the highest tally of the best slaughtermen—was al extraordinary one, and was not considered a fair one from the point of view of the companies. The rate of pay agreed upon —ls 2y 2 d per hour—is practically an increase of 10 per cent, on the rate previously ruling. It is noteworthy that the terms offered by the companies to the slaughtermen—27s fid per 100—is also a 10 per cent, increase on the rate previously paid. lint whereas slaughtermen's assistants have agreed to an increase of 10 per cent, in order, probably, to ensure industrial peace, the slaughtermen are holding out for 30s per 100, or a 20 per cent, increase. With" reference to the statement raising doubts as to the legality of the registration of the Slaughtermen's Union, on the ground that the members of the new union are not at present "employed" by an employer, Mr. ("'. Were, secretary of the union, informed a reporter that so far from the application being out of order it had been made on behalf of men who had not ceased work. There were twenty-four slaughtermen in the old Canterbury union who had not ceased work, hut who had been kept on to slaughter for the shops for loca] consumption. Nineteen members of the old union were, in fact, at present employed at the city abattoirs also. Only fifteen workers, in any case, are required to render an application valid, and they must, therefore, be in order. Mr. Were added, with a smile, that he was awaiting the next question by the employers. Mr. Were has sent a telegram to the Deputy-Registrar of Industrial Unions, embodying the statement made for publication. The conference between the representatives of the Canterbury •Freezing Workers' Union and of the Christchurch and Canterbury frozen meat companies, was; concluded to-day, when the parties arrived at an agreement in respect to the union's demands. Steps will he taken at once to make the agreement an instrument of the Court of Arbitration. Mr. F. C. Ellis, secretary of the unions, supplied a reporter with the following particulars of the agreement by the parties:—Eight hours are to constitute a day's work, which is to be regulated by

slaughtering operations; 'all hours worked beyond eight shall be considered overtime, and shall be paid at the rate of time and a quarter for the first two hours, and time and a half afterwards; the rates of pav of assistants eighteen years of age and over to be Is 2 1 / 3 d per hour; if any day workers are ordered to commence work, and if the work done on that day shall be less than four hours, the workers shall nevertheless be paid as if they had worked four hours on that day; employment of youths, 14 to 15 vears old, 15s; 15 to 16 years, 17s (id: 16 to 17 years, 20s; 17 to 18 years, 255; holidays' the same as slaughtermen's; when the holiday falls on a Sunday the following Monday shall be observed ; no slaughtering for ■ export to be done on holidays or Sundays, but on Easter Monday, King's birthday, and Boxing Days employers shall be at liberty to employ sueh of their employees as they required for a period of four hours for the purpose of slaughter in a stock for local consumption only, and shall receive time and a half for such work; wages are io be paid fortnight! v; two days' lie time to be allowed; the usual underrate workers' clause is ineluded in the agreement; employers may enrplov any worker they choose, provided that'within one week of the date of his engagement the worker shall become and remain a member of the union; smoke-oh. 15 minutes morning and afternoon, without deduction from the men's pay; ample dressing-rooms and lavatory accommodation to be provided; there is to be an equal distribution of work in each department; gum boots, aprons, overalls and leggings to be supplied to workers who require them by the employers; in the case where assistants who have been paid more than the award rate they are. to receive the corresponding increase; a rate of Is each is fixed for skinning dead sheep or lambs, (the rate under the award just expired was Is Id per hour). The guarantee of four hours' work is an increase compared with the old award. It is understood that the agreement will be for a term of three years. THE WATEBSIDERS' POSITION. Timaru. Last Night. Local ,vatersiders state that they,have bad no word from the Federation of Labor about supporting the slaughtermen (who are not Federationists). and the secretary does not anticipate instructions. Tn their absence he would not scruple to handle free labor meat. Gisborne watersiders. he said, were on a dilVerent footing, being unfederatcd. WORK PROCEEDINcTaT HASTINGS. Hastings, Last Night. There is little fresh to report as far as local workers are concerned. Work Is proceeding at a satisfactory rate, and the new slaughtermen are becoming more expert with the knife, the result being that the tallies are improving daily. Twelve men got through 200 sheep at : Takipaki yesterday, and it was estimated that 200 would be. put through a«ain to-dav. A minimum wage, of 10; ' a" day is being paid until the men an I able 'to record better tallies. Applica ' turns are still coming in from all ovei 1 the district. . ■i Twenty-eight hooks were occupied a i Tomoana yesterday, and work continue, i at a verv satisfactory pace. There wer 1 thirty butchers on the board this morn e imi. including one or two who have bee n top-notehcrs' in their time. Another r :■ the strikers resumed work this movninj '"- Most of the strikers have taken employ '«' ment in the surrounding district at ha vesting or any work they were able i

[obtain. They were still confident thaff ('the companies would give way. In regard to the statement by Mr. Ueardon that the Federation was in negotiation with a large buyer in the North Island, who is prepared to grant the men's full demands, a reporter was informed, on the best authority, that the works in Hawke's liay have iio such arrangement with any buyer as implied by Mr, Rcardon, and that it is not ft practice in the management of the works to accept contracts of that nature without a strike clause. TIIK WKLLIXGTOX WORKS. WHAT IS A "WORKER ? Wellington. Last Night If i.- believed by those in a position to judge that the meat freezing works at Pel one and Ngalmiranga will be opened again next week with a sufficiency of killers, more or less expert, to ensure a good start. The applications which are coming in for hooks are said to be quite satisfactory, as most of the men offering their services have had some experience in killing and dressing sheep. An authoritative statement declares that the companies will stand through thick and thin by- those killers and laborers who now come forward. In connection with the recent re-regis-tratinn of three of the North Island unions, the Crown Law Office is to be requested to define ''workers" as used in the Act. The contention is that the slaughtermen, by voluntarily knocking off, cannot now be described as "workers." THE LONGBURN WORKS. Palmerstou North, Friday. The Longburu Freezing Works are restarting on Monday with a full board of free laborers. POSITION AT WAITARA. THE FREE LABOR. A News reporter prosecuted some enquiries at Waitara yesterday, and gathered that everything is progressing smoothly .at Messrs. RortlnVick and Son's works, where the boards are being manned by free labor. Eight men: were engaged in killing sheep, and some of them did eight an hour, which is as much as many tried slaughtermen average. In fact, the free laborers did so well that they cut out the pens, with the result that more sheep had to he hurried to the works. From Mr. Borthwick the pressman gleaned that there had been no rejections that day; in fact, except for the fact that some of them were a trifle slow, the men (some of . whom were not inexperienced)- weredoing quite as well as their predecessorsThe company anticipated that, with a little more practice, the men would get-, iinto the accustomed stride of the' works. Although the company is employing free labor, it has not gone outside its own works. The men at present on the boards have been selected from other departments of the works, and are only too eager to jump at the chance of increasing their weekly earnings in - the season from £3 to within the neighborhood of £7. Had the company gone outside its own works it could, it is understood, have filled the boards thrice over. Two men are. at work in the beef- - house, and until they become more skilled they are being given only "ea« tiers" to kill. The company is coping with all the sheep that are coming forward, but very little stock is at present offering. '