Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1904-09-09
1.-THE BIG STRIKE
| DECLARED OFF
President Donne||y Orders the
Men Back to
Work.
OTHER UNIONS FOLLOW SUIT
Strike Ancient History After Midnight
Of the Eighth-Packers State That
They viii Give Places as Far as
Possible to Skilled Workmsn.

Chicago, Sept. 9.-The strike OF the
butcher workmen which has democrat
lied the meat packing industry
throughout the country for the last
two months, was officially declared on
last night by President Michael J.
Donnelly Of the Amalgamated Meat
Cutters and Butchers Worknen OF
America. Yesterday morning Mr..
Donnelly telegraphed the members OF
the national executive committee ask
ing their consent to an announcement
OF k< ind of the struggle and last
night having received favorable an
swers from all, he declared that the
strike of the members Of his organi-
cation would end at midnight.
The strike OF the members OF the
affiliated unions at the stock yaros
who quit work in sympathy with the
butchers. will officially be called on
this morning at meeting OF the con-
ference board Of the allied trades.
This was decided upon at a meeting
Of the central body of the allied
trades held last night. The central
body was at first in favor Of continu-
ing the strike but Donnelly, who was
present, announced that the men
were defeated and in order to save his
union from being entirely disrupted
he would order his men to return 10
work no matter what course might
be taken by other unions. AS the
other unions had no grievance OF their
own, but had gone on strike to aid
the butchers, there was nothing LETT
for them but to follow the lead OF
MIR. Donnelly, and they too. decided
to call off the strike as far as they
were concerned.
When the packers were notified last
nikht that it had been decided to
end the strike, they announced that
they would give places as far as pos
sible to the skilled men. but it was
stated at the same time that many
Of these men would be unable to Sc
cure their old places, as in many
cases the work was being performed
in satisfactory manner by men who
had been secured since the COM
mencement Of the strike. 1t Is ex-
pected that the majority OF the un-
skilled men will be unable to secure
their places again. 1t was the ques-
ton of wage scale for this class or
men that brought about the strike,
the packers refusing to sign an agree
ment with any class other than
skilled workmen.
During the strike, approximately
$4,000 persons have been involved in
the struggle, which is estimated to
have cost the men about 100000 in
wages, as against as estimated loss
Of $7.500,000 to the packers in loss OF
business, and in increased expenses.
The greatest number Of men idle in
Chicago during the strike was 26.6O0,
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
workmen 1872 cents an hour. The
packers refused to sign an agreement,
but offered to arbitrate the question.
This was accepted, the strikers
agreeing to return to work pending
the decision of the arbitrator. The
men, however, were dissatisfied with
the manner in which they were being
put to work, and declared that they
would not return unless all of the
men were given their old places in
one day. The packers declaring that
this was physically impossible, the
men went on a strike for the second
time.
The men now return to work under
the conditions that existed before the
strike.