FACTORY STRIKE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 October 1940, Page 7

FACTORY STRIKE

TROUBLE AT FEATHERSTON ULTIMATUM ISSUED BY STAFF. MATTER REFERRED TO DISPUTES COMMITTEE. A strike occurred at the Featherston dairy facio’-v vefierday after an ultimatum, signed by 15 of the 20 facici"' en-pl-) ’’ n " ' to the manager the previous day. The Minister of Marketing, Mr. Nash, wa.informed and he went to Featherston, where with Mr. Roberts, M.P. for Wairarapa, and Mr. Simpson, of the Labour Departmen'. he saw the renresenta tives of the men and the factory. After discussions the men agreed tc return to work today under the terms of the award, it being arranged that the point at issue be referred to r disputes committee on November 4 With aid from another district. Mungaroa, local farmers carried on at the factory yesterday and got through the days’ output of 16 vats of cheese. The contents of the round robin handed to the manager, Mr. A. J. Hawke, at 4.55 p.m. on Saturday were: “We the undersigned factory workers were employed here at £5 ss. a week, plus overtime. We now find our wages have been reduced. We demand that the wages be restored to the previous weekly wage of £5 ss. If by If o’clock tomorrow morning, we have no definite assurance of the restoration we will STRIKE at 10 a.m.”

The demand was refused and thr men walked out at 10 a.m. yesterday

The management communicated will - Mr. J. J. Maher. Mungaroa, chairman of the Wellington Co-operative Dairyfarmers’ Association. He took a part} consisting of Mr. D. Souness. factory manager for the association, Messrs R. Cooper and J. Jaggers to Featherston at once. There, with local farmers, executive staff of the factory, an' two Government graders, the 16 vat' were got through and any delay ir production avoided. The volunteers were prepared to carry on till a settlement was reached.

The factory secretary, Mr. J. Blain said yesterday that under the award the men worked 52 hours a week for 22 weeks of each year at £5 a week The cost of living bonus of 5 per cent was paid in addition. The Cheese Factory Labour Legislation Suspension Order 1940 (No. 2) increased the period during which the men were required to work 52 hours by another 18 weeks The original 22-weeks period finished on October 1, when the extra 10s. which the men had received was deducted and the ordinary award rate of £4 10s., plus cost of living bonus was reverted to.