New-York tribune., 1904-08-10
HALF NAY NOT STRIKE
THREE LOCALS GRUNBLE.
Secretary Cal Says the Fight is
Against 50 a Week.

The advisory board Of the ATnalgamated Meat
Cutters and Butcher Workmen of America met
yesterday IN the forenoon, afternoon and even
ing 10 prepare for the meat strike, which goes
into effect to-day. Henry L. Eicheiberger' gen
eral organizer and fourth national v!ce-presi-
dent, who. with Homer D. Call, national sec
retary will direct the strike, said that the cattle
butcherr Gere taking out their implements. one
load Of meat VII be delivered this morning by
each driver. he said. and then the strike, which
win effect $500 men IN the thirteen locals
throughout the metropolitan district, VIII be on
The Developments Of the day showed that the
strike may not be general, and that there are
great dissensions among some OF the LOCALS
especially three-Iocals 2J5. 2S3 and 2S9- OF
these the drivers local and local Of mixed
trades we're the most divided.
II wes stated by some of the members that
only half the members Of these three locals
were likely TO strike and that the others would
remain at work Serious trouble is expected in
fhis case.
Eight men of the drivers union went TO the
rlseling Of the advisory board last night and had
a conference Of an hour with The committee.
When they came out one of them said:
we don't go out strike. and that is all
there is 10 it,
Another said he was Of the same mind. When
John Kennedy, chairman of the advisory board.
was told Of this he said il nonsense. and
that all the men would strike He also an
nounced that the allied trades would meet this
morning at Turtle Bay Hall. No. 500 Second
sve and be ready 10 strike in sympathy. il
called on. These ara The engineers, hremen
electricians. coopers, steanlfitters and provision
teamsters. Some of the cattle and sheep butch
ers stopped work at midnight.
President Isaac BlumenthaI. OF The United
Dressed Beef Company said last evening:
The strike is entirely uncaied for The men
here have no grievance and DO % NOT believe ne @ tnS
received. believe that htty per cent or our neT,
De lIIl1ewsrul There is nothing whatever in the
claim that meat has beer shipped back & 70 S9iGago &
That would be sending Goals to Newcas1e }i me me
the men here is merely last desperate resort
The representatives of the Schwarzschild Sc
sulzberger company were of the same opinion.
Late last night National Secretary Cali is
sued q statement. Before the union was or
s,anized he said. the men did great deal Of
extra work for nothing. Then pacemakers in
killing were introduced and the gangs were re-
duced. The men discharged ana idle were held
as q club over the men still at work. If any
man revolred under the increasing strain he
saw two other men at the doors, desperate from
long idleness and eager TO fight for his place.
2Ir. Call continued:
BY 300 this driving system had reached it's eli
max. strong gave out st thirty-hVe or forty
years OF axe. Hundreds left crippled win
rheumatism. Many died from consumption, the
rate OF which is even now increasing. Worn out
crippled men were put TO lower grades CT work
discharged
Hundreds OF children had TO work in the fac
FORTS To check this system the union was organ
ized Il was chartered in Syracuse y. Y. In ISS1,
but for two years II made no progress IN the big
centres. Then al last lsD. Michael Donreliy
10 organize the greatest centre OF Them all
Chloago In one ) ear II reached l5e0O memters in
Chicago alone
What has This union done for this community?
Briefly Il has forced the packers TO give more regl
lar hours, to employ more men and hence 10 spread
The among al instead OF Keeping max OF
at the doors 10 underbid the men who are work
ing. The union has forced Uniform wage scale
FOR all skilled workers, replace the old system,
and has raised wages 10 meet the Increased cost
Of living.
They are attempting 10 reduce the wages OF the
common laburers-50 per cent OF 60,0O members
from lSsz cents hour to the old rate OF 10
cents Jess. As she average weeks work
IS but thrty-fye hours, 1874 cents an hour means
S550 week This wage the packers nov propose
10 reduce 10 s. q week
There is a deeper issue. In this industry TIE IN
skilled men may become the skilled men Let
them, while unsled, be forced to grow accus-
toned 70 the wretched living possible s. s.
q week. Let them grow living like the
most recent immigrants and when they rise to the
skilled positions, the lew standards TO which they
have become accustomed Will still be adhered 10.
This Is the problem which confronts US.