The British Government in 1934 called a conference of all Commonwealth governments in Ottawa, Canada, to discuss trade of British Empire countries and preferential treatment to regulate trade. This was a lively and controversial issue as the meat industry was one of the biggest sufferers from the Depression.

Sir William Angliss, with large Australian interests, was the main industry spokesman and is credited with playing a vital role in achieving the Ottowa agreement. This agreement, covering preferences, quotas and tariffs, had a significant impact on the Australian meat industry and its trade with Britain.

The giant British firm, Vesteys, with big interests in Argentina and other countries, needed to expand into a, - Commonwealth country to take advantage of the agreement. In what was the biggest deal ever negotiated in Australia at that time, they acquired the entire Australian holding of William Angliss and Company.

THE chill winds of depression increased to gale force. Every industry was affected, factories worked for a short time or closed, unemployment grew rapidly. In 1931 all wages were cut by eight shillings a week. The fight for its restoration went on into the war years. Despite economic improvements in the industry, the employers and arbitration court steadfastly refused to restore the depression wage cut.      

The Brisbane Courier Mail on August 15, 1935 headlined "Rises in State Exports" pre-depression exceeded as the official figures showed beef exports had risen to 78,732 tons valued at over 2 million pounds ($4 million).

DISPITE the rising economy, meatworkers' conditions were still under attack, but resistance was growing.

The workers at Brisbane Abattoirs went on strike in February 1935, for increased pay, shorter hours and longer holidays. They claimed the abattoirs, Queensland's biggest single employer of meatworkers, were now past its experimental stage and were profitable.

The Local Producers Conference shared this view in June. The Brisbane Telegraph wrote: "The QMIB refused to comment on the charges made by the conference of making high profits."

Act of Parliament set up the board in 1931 when the Government bought Swifts plant at Cannon Hill for 490,000 pounds.

The unions claimed that workers hard hit by the Depression were entitled to share in the profits. When the board curtly replied that it stood by arbitration, 700 workers reacted swiftly by striking from February 13. Press, graziers and the Forgan Smith Labour Government called them "irresponsible anarchists" who were putting international markets at risk.

The unions resisted mounting pressure to go to the Arbitration Court. The Courier Mail on February 18 quoted Pierce Carney: "We are not inclined to go before the court, as we consider that the members of the court are suffering from a Depression mentality, and it is useless to place a case before them. " The strike was called off on March 12, and the case was then put before the court.

Carney retired in bad health in October 1936, and Jim Newman, the northern district organiser was elected. Newman's first year in office convinced him that the union needed its own journal.

In the first issue of The Meat industry Journal of Queensland in March, 1938, he wrote: "The union has gone through a period of lethargy; during the period we lost the pride of place as an organisation  possessing the best conditions and rates of pay in Australia".

The COM launched a campaign for a 40-hour week for the export section and the restoration of the Depression wage cut. It recalled that the union in 1917 gained a reduction from 47 to 44 hours with improved conditions.

Newman presented the union case to the Arbitration Court in March 1938. To support the court case, the union began a vigorous campaign of mass meetings to educate members. During July, 3000 workers stopped work in six sheds. The export companies met the unions on August 16: their response: "Go to the court".

Mass meetings of meatworkers called for more action and increased pressure. The case was again before the Court in October.

The 40-hour week was granted to begin on January 1, 1939, but restoration of wages was refused. Meatworkers had won an important breakthrough, which affected the trade union movement.

The Queensland Trade Union Congress in November congratulated the AMIEU on its splendidly organised and conducted fight on achieving the 40-hour week. "It is pioneering the way and giving an incentive to other unions," the congress recorded.

Women found work in the cannery department at Lakes Creek in the mid 1920s.