Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-07-11
BIG STRIKE ThREATENEn
Gigantic Contest Between the Packers
and Labor Unions Probable.

Gigantic Contest Between the Packers
and Labor Unions Probable.
Chicago. July 1.-The Inter ocean
says:
| Negotiations for the renewal OF .
wage agreement between the millions
aire packers and the Amalgan1ated
Meat Cutters and Butcher Worknen of
North America. have been broken on,
land strike involving 10000 men 10
imminent. Both sides are maintaining
the strictest secrecy regarding their
plans. but 1t is known that both are
making active preparations for what
may prove the worst labor struggle IN
years.
A special meeting Of the local Pack
+ ing Trades council has been called for
tonight at Schumacher's hall. 1850 Ash-
land avenue and final action will b
taken then. That the men at that
meeting will not accept the terms pro-
posed by the packers is almost certain.
SO that the strike order may be issued
tomorrow. @
The houses involvec are Armour -
ICo., Swift & Co. Nelson. Morse Co.
lSchwarxschiid 4 Sulxherger, Cudahy
Packing CO., and the National Packing
Co. The latter Is known as the trust
and controls the Hammond. Anglican
erican. Continental. and Omaha
Packing Companies, In Chicago; the st
Louis Dressed Beef Company. In East
ST. Louis: the Fowler Packing C0m-
pany and Ruddy Bros, In Kansas City
besides number Of smaller distribute
ing houses thruout the east.
E;nkf Ci$ian ara involved.
The cities which will be affected by
the strike If 1t is called are: st. Paul
Sioux city, South Omaha. st. Joseph.
East st. Louis, Kansas City, Ft. Worth
and Chicago. In New York the men
handling dressed beef for the export
trade. will also be ordered out. as the
union intends to strike at every point
controlled by the beef trust.
The butcher workmen regard the Is
sue as one involving the life OF their
organization, and at every packing
center in the west they are ready 70
respond to the strike order at mo-
ments notice. For several weeks they
have been making arrangements TO el-,
feet an Immediate tieup of the packing
houses. SO that the leaders believe ev-s
ery department will be at standsthl
within one hour from the time the
order is issued.
Since May 2S the men in the looas
stock yards have been working withous
an agreement, except IN the case OF two
unions. The same condition exists at
the other packing centers. controlled
by the Chicago packers Shortly a1ter
the expiration Of the wage contracss.
demands were presented for uniform
scale Of wages for all the different
houses under control Of the big Chicago
packers. These demands contemplat 81
an increase Of wages in some departs
mente. while they did not affect others
The aim Of the officers was to make
the highest scale paid In any city the
minimum Of all.
Unskil!ed Labor is Issue.
At the convention OF the Amaigas
mated Meat Cutters and Butchsf
workmen. held in the early part u
Nav. II was decided to demand min-
imum scale OF 20 cents an hour sor
all unskilled workmen, although the
executive officers we're vested with
power to modify that demand. The
officers fixed the scale ct Is cents an
hour. as that rate was being paid N
number Of departments.
The Anal answer Of the packers giv>
en- the committee over week ago, Wa
for a scale Of 171s cents an hour Tor
laborers in four departments. all the
other departments to be open wlthOaS
any contract.