The Butchers' Strike

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 196, 17 February 1914, Page 5

The Butchers' Strike

AUSTRALIAN BUTCHERS' STRIKE. SHOPS MAY OPEN. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright Sydney, February 16. The secretary of the Meat Employees' Union states that the men's services were dispensed with, the employers thus creating a lock-out. The Government is expected to put the law in motion, and the union is prepared to take over those shops which the employers, the secretary states, are prepared to hand over, and if slaughtering space is granted at Glebe they will, in the interestsof the public, open the shops immediately for the sale of meat. NO MEAT YET. EMPLOYERS' COMBINE BLAMED. Received lfl, 0.15 p.m. Sydney, February 16.

The promised meat supply is nut forthcoming. No men have arrived at the Glebe abattoirs, claiming tltat they were not regularly notified that there was work for them. The shops are consequently closed.

The supposed cold storage reserves are said to be imaginary, having been mostly sold to oversea purchasers, and thus unavailable for local consumption. The union proposes to purchase cattle, slaughter them, and open the shops to retail the meat to relieve the public need.

Mr. Furse alleges that the masters brought pressure to bear upon the men with whom the union had made arrangements to slaughter at Glebe. One man was stopped after killing two beasts. It would tlisu be seen that the combine of masters was preventing the public from getting meat. The men in their own ranks were willing to slaughter, but the employers would not let them. MKLBOURNE CITY ABATTOIRS CLOSED. Received 18, 11.3 p.m. Sydney, February IC. Three thousand are at present affected by the butchers' strike, and unless a speedy settlement is made it is estimated that 15,000 men will be out of work in two days.

Arrangements have been made to supply the hospitals and Government institutions by the Masters' Association. There is » great demand for dairy produce and fish, and in some cases prices have advanced. Melbourne, February IS. The slaughtermen at the city abattoirs ceased work to-day. The men refused to clean the pens after killing, and the employers also refused to do the work. The City Council intervened. By closing the abattoirs 1000 men and 200 employers will be inoperative. The city is faced with a meat famine. A SERIES OF RESOLUTIONS. Received 17, 1.15 a.m. Sydney, February 10. Three resolutions have been submitted to Mr Estell by the masters: That in the event of the union men not responding to the requisition to start work, no attempt to commence, killing will be made at present with free labor; that retail masters be informed that the committee is arranging for the supply of frozen beat to the. trade, and the retail butchers must devise the best means of distributing to the public; that it is desirable that no stock be slaughtered for export while the public of Sydney is without supplies. The resolutions were conveyed to a meeting of the men. THE POSITION IN MELBOURNE. COMPULSORY CONFERENCE SUGGESTED. Melbourne, February 10.

Recognising the seriousness of the threat of the butchers' employees to cease work to-night, the council of the Federated Employees' Union is considering the question of taking charge of the dispute between the masters and men, both in Sydney and Melbourne. Representatives of the various States were informed of the danger of a strike in Melbourne, and suggested applying to the Court for a compulsory conference, but it is reported that the Sydney employees are not in favor of a conference, preferring to fight without interference.