The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-08-03
MEAT FAMINE THREATENED
Butchers, Cutters and Drivers
Vote to Strike.
GIRLS JOIN WITH THE MEN

ana SC. OOSeph Are HifeauS
Strikers Are Orderly and Both Sides
Are Determined to Stand Firm
$4,000 Have Quilt in Chicago.
Chicago. IlI.-As the result Of Il stub
born disagreement, chiefly over wages
for unsktlled labor, one If the most ex-
tensive strikes in the history of the
meat packing industry of the United
States began in Chicago. Kansas City.
Omaha. st. Joseph. Mo-. and other CIT
les where large packing plants are To-
Gated.
The unanimity of tie strike was
complete. More than $4,000 employees
are directly involved. In Chicago alone
$4,000 mel are on strike.
The walkout here was started by the
employees of the killing departments
at the various packing houses. The
killers were followed by the workers
in other departments rs fast as the
current work left by the slaughterers
could be cleaned up. Thus, as the
workers in each department disposed
of their part of the work, they threw
off their aprons and departed.
A picturesque scene was presented
when the sausage factories and can
neries were left by their forces. There
are 1000 girls employed il these two
departments of the meat industry. This
army of feminine strikers was roundly
cheered as it emerged through the
gates.
Arthur Meeker. of Armour 6 Co.,
said:
I'VE consider the demand Of the
union for all advance in wages of I'M
skilled labor entirely unwarranted by
industrial conditions. We could not
eoncede it, and proposed TO submit the
question to arbitration. which the
union declined. Every department is
kept running. however. We have had
applications from hundreds of unem-
ployed men for positions ut less wages
than we have been paying, and every
day expect to increase OIL output"
President Michael Donnelly, the
strike leader, said:
II wish to make it clear that we are
not fighting for an increase of wages.
but against a decrease. Our original
demand was for a minimum of twenty
cents an hour for laborers. After our
second conference with the packers in
June. we agreed to a scale of eighteen
and a half cents an hour, except in
Omaha and Sioux City, where the scale
is nineteen cents. The packers, on the
other hand. refused to pay more than
seventeen and q half cents an hour
and declined to sign any agreement at
all. except with a small proportion OF
the workmen.
The question of wages to skilled
men was not discussed. To unskilied
workmen the average was eight
cen and a half cents, but when we
asked that this be made the minimum
wage they cut it to seventeen and a
half cents and fifteen cents. Men
could live on fifteen cents if they got
steady work, but in some plants men
have been able to make just thirteen
hours a week at this wage scale. They
could not live on it. No II could"
The employees of the Union Stock
Yards here are not affected by the
strike, and, while in view Of the no.
tees SEN by commission houses to
their country customers shipments
may fall off to some extent, it is ex-
pected that cattle, hogs and sheep will
still continue to arrive from the West
and South.
st. Joseph, Mo.-More than 5000 en-
oloyes of Swift & Co.. Nelson, Morris
& Co., and the Hammond Packing
Company, in South st. Joseph, went
out on a strike at noon, and the plants
have closed down. Representatives Of
the packing companies say that at
present no attempt will be made to re-
sumo killing.
st. Louis, Mo.--Eighteen hundred
butchers and cutters, members of the
Amalgamated Meat Cutters and
Butchers Association. struck work. In
East st. Louis more than 5000 BUTCH
ers and cutters employed by the pack
ing houses stopped work.