The sun., 1907-08-23
MEAT WAGON DRIVERS STRIKE
500 EMPLOYED ny WHOLESALE
BUTCHERS QUIT.

All the union teamsters In the employ
Of the Wholesale butchers and packers In
Manhattan went on a strike at 4 O'Clock
yesterday afternoon, many OF them leaving
their loaded wagons in the streets. The
action tied ND the late afternoon delivery
service OF all the big companies, but the
packers expect TO have the wagons fully
manned this morning. There 10 a chance.
however. that the small stock butchers.
the beef cutters and the luggers will 20
out in sympathy. and in that event the
situation will be serious for New York meat
consumers
There are 500 Of the striking tesmsters
and they comprise practically the entire
force in the employ Of the big wholesalers.
They deliver the meat from the packing
houses and absttoirs along the river fronts
to the middlemen and the retailers through
out the city. The independent as we'll as the
so-calied trust houses are involved in the
strike.
The declaration of the strike followed q
stormy meeting between representatives
Of the local union and the packers at the
Hotel Belmont yesterday afternoon. The
labor union leaders walked out Of the meet
ing after declaring that they would force
the packers and butchers to yield to their
demands, and within an hour every delivery
wagon in the city manned by q union driver
was deserted.
The employers had been 10 conference
with the union men for five days and had
made no preparations for = strike, because
there had been every indication up to yes
terday that all the differences would be
settled amicaby. The employers were
represented at the meeting by w. II. Noyes
of Swift 4 Co.. l.. Kirschheimer Of the
Schwsrzschild a Sulzberger Company.
Arthur Stern Of Joseph Stern a Sons. W. j..
McAuley OF the United Dressed Beef Com
pany, Moses Sayn dsrs OF the New York
Veal and Mutton Company. Leo Joseph Of
the New York Butchers Dressed Beef Com
pany and James Shannon Of Joseph Shan
non Sons The labor union delegation
was headed bv President Hickey Of the
local organization.
The working agreement which the packers
had with the union expired on August 10.
and il was in regard to the terms OF the new
agreement that the split occurred. The
teamsters had been receiving from 3i7 TO
90 week under the old agreement with no
definite stipulations as to the number OF
hours that thev should work.
They demanded in the FIRST place. that the
new agreement should provide for their en-
ployment by the hour. The packers re-
fused to consent to this. but compromise
Was finally reached 10y which the men were
to receive the same pay as under the old
agreement but SIXTY five hours were TO be n
week a work. Some Of the men had been
working more than seventy ho,ns a week.
The tea msterS also wanted 10 be relieved OF
some OF their work in carrying the beef 10
and from the wagons. haI work belonged
TO the luggers, they said.
The s.gnDInyevs refused tO give fhla
point and proposed that this and all other
points al issue should be submitted TO an
impartial board Of arbitration. The packers
said that they would De perfectly willing TO
abide by the decision OF that board The
union men refused TO consent to this and,
according TO the packers. they refused also
TO accept any clause in the new agreement
providing for the arbitration Of differences.
There was such q clause in the agreement
which expired on August II.
When the employers made il plain that
they would insist upon such q provision
the union men walked out of the conference.
declaring that they would have an agree
ment that suited them or nothing.
George W. Morgan. former Superintend-
ent OF Elections. who represents ten or
Twelve Of the packers in a legal capacity.
had this TO say last night:
The employers have made all endeavors
which they could reasonably TO avoid
strike. They now will proceed 10 employ
new men to take the places Of their former
employees. The question at issue is simply
whether they az employers OF labor shall be
permitted by their employees TO conduct
their own business.
had been opposed Of when the men walked
out Most Of the wagons were drawn up
at the packing houses and slaughter houses
for their last loads. Word was carried TO the
teamsters in the packing house district
north OF Forty-second street on the river
l~,x frNnr "a Rolrnnnf and
telephone message to one OF the union men
on the west side OF the town gave them the
tip
The drivers in First avenue. after de-
serting their wagons. crossed the street
and jeered. The packing men had heard
from the hotel. but they had expected that
the drivers would finish out the day. They
were in a bad fix consequently when the
drivers left their partly loaded wagons.
The luggers weren't any too anxious 70
turn in and carry the beef back into the
buildings. and some Of the superintendents
and men from the executive offices donDed
aprons and put a shoulder TO the task.
Each firm as soon as u was able to do 80
communicated with it's customers and
urged them 70 send their own wagons after
the meat The teams were Embarrassed
from the packers wagons and taken to the
stables. Last night some OF the wagons
were still standing in front OF the buildings.
The retailers' private wagons began TO
ATTtN6 Az buc DdCAiuk ho0uoc ~ W " WYNN
and the deliveries went on that way all
night
Many OF the dealers who sent their wagons
depend for their meat supply every morn
ing on the big delivery vans viii ch leave
the packing houses shortly after daylight.
That is when the largest p art Of the oty's
meat supply IL sent out, an the packers
are looking for trouble then, IL there 10 10
he any.
The strikers were on picket duty about
the packing houses and abattoirs, both on
the east and west sides, but up to midnight
they had not attempted to interfere with
any OF the loads taken by private wagons.
The reserves from the East Fifty-frst and
the East Sxty-seventh street police sta
tons were on duty in the slaughter house
district on the Fast Side and the reserves
from the West Thirty seventh street station
guarded the property along the North River.
The police closed all the saloons along
Eleventh avenue in the neighborhood Of
the pacoking huses
The New York meat teamsters went out
on a strike two years ago The beef driv-
ers' strike in Chicago OF more recent men,
ory was one OF the most violent labor fights
that city ever experienced.
The teamsters have esta blished head
l. r.