DAIRY PRODUCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 December 1941, Page 6

DAIRY PRODUCE

LOADING DELAYED MEN REFUSE TO WORK. TROUBLE AT AUCKLAND. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, December 25. Through the refusal of about 150 chamber hands employed at the King’s Wharf cool store to work today and tomorrow the loading of dairy produce for shipment overseas will be delayed. When the decision of the men was made known yesterday the management of the Auckland Farmers’ Freezing Co., Ltd., and the conciliation commissioner, Mr C. L. Hunter, made lastminute efforts to induce the men to reconsider their attitude, but without success.

The action was a sequel to the order of the Minister of Labour, Mr Webb, cancelling award conditions for payment for work done on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. This required the men to work for double pay instead of triple pay on those days. The men informed the management that they would work under* award conditions only. Arrangements were made to clear from the stores last night sufficient produce to enable the wharf work to continue on Christmas Day. . “Unless the men change their decision and work on Boxing Day there will be a tragic delay,” said the general manager of the company, Mr A. G. Brown, “for on that day .it was planned to work long hours and handle large quantities of produce. It is hoped that failing no work being done on Boxing Day the men will begin work after midnight, when the statutory holiday ends.”