Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-05-20
LABOR TROUBLES,
The Eight-HOur Movement in Chicag.
Proves a Failure-Packers Unable 10
Retain the New System-Whas the Em.
plOYes Will DO.
CHICAGO. Nav Is

CHICAGO, May IS
At meeting of the furniture workers of
Chicago last night, it was decided to call out
the men in the employ of Brunswick & Bake
in New York, in order to force the firm in
Chicago to give in. The company intends to
open their establishment in Stanford, Conn
which has been closed for manv years, and q
| committee have been sent there from Chicago
to induce the men not to go to work 1t was
announced yesterday that &c out of 46 up
holstering establishments in Chicago had con
ceded to the men eight hours of work and
20 per cent. increase in wages. All the mem
bers of the Union who are at work have been
| assessed five per cent. of their wages to be
| paid to the most needy members who are on
a strike.
| The president: of the Lumberman's Union
was seen last night. He acknowledged that
the fight was ABOUT over. His men, for the
most part, lived from hand to mouth, and
having no money were compelled to return
to work and SO keep the wolf from the door
"But," added he, "we shall maintain our
Union, and when we are more thoroughly
organized and in better condition financially
We shall renew the fight. 1t was an UNEQUAL
struggle from the start, and while we have
not ordered our men back to work as yet,
the men are at liberty to return if they so de-
sire"
At conference of manufacturers in metals
the reports concerning concessions made in
in time and pay by the Crane Bros. Manufac-
turing Co. and the L. Wolf Manufacturing
Co., were decided to be false. upon state
ments made by representatives of the firms
The reports showed that 80 per cent. of the
establishments we're running and that so per
cent. had full force of men.
Several of the prominent packers of Cbca-
go were asked yesterday whether they would
return to the ten-hour rule next week. The
movement will affect directly or Indirectly
&c, 900 persons. There are about l0, 900 men
employed in nine houses and at the yards, and
the butchers and others will bring the total
up to the figures mentioned. They are all
more or less connected with the packing
houses and should the packers carry out their
| threat to shut down in case the men make
trouble about returning to the old time, they
would necessarily be injured. Michael Cud-
ahy of Armour & Co., says:
I'VE cannot go on as we are now doing. 1t
is simply out of the question. We must
either return to the old system or close up
There is no other way out of it for the pack
ers. 1t was mistake ever to give the men
| eight hours. At Kansas City, Boston and
other places the men are working ten hours,
1
Before the eight hour movement began we
had some show by being satisfied with small
| profits, but now we have none at all.
| A visit to other packing houses showed the
same state of affairs. The American Pack
| ing Co., Fowler Bros, G +. Swift & Sons,
the Chicago Packing and Provision Co, and
| all the others, have decided to notify their
men that they cannot continue under the
present system. They we're not certain when
the return TO the old hours would be made.
Sidney A. Kent said that he had been the
first to make the change. and had thought
that it might benefit the men. "While we
are working but eight hours" he said, "St.
Louis and Kansas City packers are working
| their men ten hours. The men are begin
ming to see that short hours aud full pay op-
crate against the packers, and we cannot
stand the competition. / agreed with my
men to the experiment for q month, and am
going to do it. II was only an experiment,
however, and We all understood it as such.
What the men will do is rather q difficult
thing TO find out. They are reticent. One
| of the members of their executive committee
says: 1--WE don't want to strike, and have
not advocated, although we most certainly
have asked for the eight hour plan, and we
propose to hold the bosses to it now. We
have perfected our organization and intend
to stand by our colors."
| 1t 10 understood, however, that the non.
union workers and great many union men