The Bourbon news., 1904-09-13
BUTCHERS STRIKE.
1t Has Been Officially Declared
Off by President DOnnelly.
Estimated Loss to the Men in Wages
is About $4,000, 900, and About
$7,5oo,ooo to the Packers in
Loss of Business.

Chicago, Sept 9-The strike of the
butcher workmen, which had been on
for the last two months, was officially
declared off Thursday by President
Miachel Donnelly, of the Amalgama-
ted Meat Cutters and Butcher Work
men of America. Thursday morning
Mr.. Donnelly conferred with the mem
bers Of the national executive COM
mittee, asking their consent to an an
nouncement of the end of the strug-
gle, and then, having received favor
able answers from all, he declared that
the strike of the members of his or
ganization would end at midnight
During the strike approximately 3d.
600 persons have been involved in the
struggle, which is estimated to have
cost the men about $5,000,0OO in
wages, as against an estimated loss of
$7,500,000 to the packers in loss Of
business, and in increased expenses.
The greater number of men idle in
Chicago during the strike was 26,600.
and the total in the country outside
of this city is estimated to be about
the same.
The original cause of the strike was
a demand by the butchers union that
the packers pay to the unskilled work
men 1872 cents an hour. The pack
ers refused an agreement, but offered
to arbitrate the question.
Chicago, Sept. 10.-Hundreds of live
stock handlers who went out on a
strike, appeared at the office of Man
ager Skinner, of the Union Stock
Yards and Transit Co. Friday to apply
for their old positions. He had pre-
viously announced that he would en-
plOy all the old men needed Mem
bers of other unions were not so
much in evidence when work was be-
gun at the packing houses Friday.
Most of the men did not know that
the strike was off, President Donnelly
has received a telegram from the last
member of the international executive
board of the butchers, giving permis-
sion to call off the strike. None of the
stock handlers were taken back, being
informed that they would be sert for
when needed 1t is understood that
before going to work they will be re-
quired to sign an agreement setting
forth that they return as individuals,
and not as an organization.
The complete surrender of the
butcher workmen came after a dra-
matte scene. The allied trades con-
ference had taken the management
of the strike practically out of the
hands of President Donnelly, and were
endeaVOring to continue the strike in
the hope of getting some concessions
Donnelly saw that the end could not
be averted, and at once wired all the
members of the national executive
board of the butcher workmens or
ganization, asking permission to call
off the strike. He soon received re-
plies which warranted him calling off
the strike, and then going to the room
of the allied trades conference, he dra-
matically announced that voting on
the question of continuing the strike
would not do any good, as he had re-
ceived authority and would call off
the strike a
When informed of the action of the
conference board of the allied trades
in formally ending the strike, Presi-
dent Donnelly, of the butcher work
men, said:
Although we have not won all we
went out for, we go back as an or
ganization. Both sides have learned
q lession. The butchers will build up
q better and a stronger organization
from the experience of the past. 1 do
not believe the packers will discrimi-
nate against the union"
Chicago, Sept. 12.-All probability
of complications at the stockyards was
removed Sunday, when the packing
house teamsters voted to return to
work Monday morning, The offer of
the packers to take back now as many
teamsters as are needed and to hire
the others as necessity demands, was
made known through a committee that
had visited the packers, and the propo-
sition was accepted without opposi-
tion. The packers were at once noti-
fed that the men would report at 8
o'clock Monday.
Il