Denver labor bulletin., 1918-02-02
PACKERS AGREE
TO ARBITRATE
LABOR DEMANDS
THREATENED STRIKE MA
TIONAL SCOPE AVERTED.
Settlement Reached in Washington
Affects Thousands of Employees in
Chicago, Omaha, Kansas City,
Denver and Other Places.

| Press dispatches from Washington
announce that the visit there of a
committee of labor men representing
the Chicago packing house employees
has brought about a settlement of the
dispute threatening a strike in the
large packing house centers of the
country. An agreement was reached
providing that there shall be no dis
elimination against union members
and that questions of hours and wages
shall be referred to an arbitrator ap-
pointed by the secretary of labor
i The awards of the arbitrator, not
I yet appointed, will be effective as of
January IA.
| Under the agreement grievance
committees appointed by the workers
will be received by the employers,
whether their membership consists of
union or non-union men. 1t affects
many thousand workers in Chicago,
East st. Louis, Kansas City, Oklaho-
ma City, Fort Worth, st. Joseph,
Omaha, Denver, St Paul and Sioux
City.
Suggestions of the union men that
the government should take over the
packing plants for the war are not
affected in averting strike. Presi-
dent Wilson still has the suggestion
]
other methods of dealing with the sit
uation would be considered first.
Eighteen Questions at Issue.
There were eighteen questions at
issue between the packers and their
union employees. Those concerning
the rights of union members, wages
and hours were regarded as the most
important. Six of the eighteen go to
arbitration, including demands for 81
day fiat increase in wages, equal
pay for women with men, a guaran-
teed number of hours work, a basic
eight-hour day, time and a half for
overtime and double pay for Sundays
and holidays.
1t was agreed that there should be
no discrimination against union mem
bers, either in employment or in dis
tribution of work, this clause taking
the place of the union mems demands
for preferential employment of union
men.
/ Seniority will be observed in pro
motions. Standing committees on
grievances were not provided for, but
it was said by the union men that
there was to be no objection to ap-
pointment of the same representatives
again and again.
Reached Crisis Before Christmas.
The employees will not be required
to join the insurance societies main
/ tained by the companies. The COM
panies agree to provide sanitary lunch
rooms, lavatories and other improved
working conditions.
| Differences between the packers and
their union employees reached crisis
just before Christmas, after a strike
vote had been taken which was said
to have resulted SO per cent in favor
of a cessation of work if necessary
to force betterment of wages and
working conditions. The mediation
committees brought the two sides to-
gether in an agreement for arbitra-
ton. Later it was charged by the
workers that the packers failed to
abide by this agreement and the men
then brought the matter to the White
| House, with the suggestion that the
plants be Communicated by the gov
ernment. The President again asked
his mediation committee to straighten
out the tangle.
Secretary Wilson's appointment as
an arbitrator will be subject to ap-
proval by the council of national de
fense. Both sides to the controversy
will suggest men for the place, but
agree to accept the man named