The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-06
LABOR AND THE TRADES.

The Chicago Pork-Packers Decide to Adopt
the Hour System of Pay.
CHICAGO, Aug. 6-There has been no change
in the situation at the packing houses at the
Union ck-yards. The men who struck yes
terday at Hatelys, and Fowler's packing-house,
on a refusal to work by the hour, are still out,
and contend that it will cause defeat of the
eight-hour working day established three months
ago. The proprietors declare that they are run
ming their houses at a serious disadvantage, as
compared to Milwaukee Omaha and Kansas
City, where the ten-hour working day Is still in
force. and that they cannot keep their houses
without concession on the part of their en-
ployes. The hog market was unsettled this
morning. owing to the existing strike, and prices
were 10 cents per 100 lbs lower.
On Monday next the packing houses in the
stockyards will put into operation the hour sys-
tenn, similar 70 that offered by the Hately Bros
The houses which have agreed to this plan are
Fowler & Co., Swift & Co., Kent & Silverhorn
Armour and the Chicago Packing and Provision
Company have hitherto held out, demanding
that nine hour day be put in force The firms
which will put the hour system into effect are un-
derstood TO have won over TO their side Mr.. Ar
mour and the Chicago Provision and Packing
Company. It is probable that all the houses in
the yard will adopt it. The superintendent of
one of these said, to-day, that he did not antic-
pate any trouble from the men,
and was induced to think that most
of them would accept the new scale
although they did not know that they would
He was inclined to think that, if the men did ac-
cept, they would like it. as the more hours they
worked the better pay they would receive. The
men say, however, that If the hour system is
adopted the employers WILL in dull seasons
make employees work few hours day. giving
them an opportunity to earn barely living wages
IL the hour system Is adopted on Monday, and
there is very little doubt that it will, between
5000 and 1000 men will be affected. Some Of
the employees are monthly men," receiving sal
aries and these, of course, will be exempt. The
men are excited over the proposed change, and
a general strike is notimprobable.
Only $50 of the employees Of Hately Brothers.
at the stock-yards, are now out on strike. Fifty
of the men who went out yesterday were not
affected by the new time schedule, and they re-
turned to work to-day Superintendent w. T.
Hately told his men that the firm could not COM
pete with packers il Kansas City and Milwaukee
and give ten hours pay for eight hours work.
Prior to the adoption of the eight hour system,
May /, he said, the Chicago packers were paying
their employees Is to 80 per cent more than sim
| liar employees received in either of the places
named, so that when the ten-hour system was
abolished, without corresponding reduction in
wages, the cost Of labor was run up 25 to 40 per
| cent. more than the Milwaukee and Kansas City
| packers pay. In answer to this explanation
| the Hately employees said they were willing to
work at stated price per hour, but so many in
| "Packertown" were opposed to any change that
they were afraid of their lives to accept reduc-
ton or to return to the ten hour system. The
rates by the hour which the men declined were:
Men receiving So Is day, to have 35 cents an
hour; three dollar aday men. 32k cents; those
receiving s. TO- 30 cents The proposition also
contem plated general reduction of 10 to 20 per
cent all around. About forty employees in the
ham house at Fowler & Co.. refuse to accept nine
hours pay for eight hours work. and are still
out They have been receiving ten hours pay
for eight hours work.
Miners and Knights Trying to Harmonize.