Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-04-02

PACKING HOUS]
WORKERS VIII
FEDERAL ARBITRATOR GIVE
DECISION AFTER EXTENDED
INVESTIGATION.
Chicago, April 1.-The eight no,
lay. wage increases and equal pay Il
ike work by men and women hay
been granted to Chicago packin
house employees by Judge Samuel A
schuler, arbitrator in the recent wat
rearing here. Several other demand
II the workers also were granted.
SIX POINTS SETTLED
The award was made on the 81
points raised by the en-
oloyes and was as follows:
1. Beginning May 5, 1918, eight
hours shall constitute the basic
work day and such work shall be
completed, insofar as possible,
within nine consecutive hours.
2. Overtime shall be paid for
at the rate of double time for all
Sundays and holidays except that
where the operation is necessarily
and generally carried on for seven
days, provision may be made for
relief worker so as to give the
regular employees a day off. The
relief workers are to receive the
week day wages for such work.
The ordinary week day overtime
shall be at the rate of time and a
quarter for the first two hours and
at the rate Of time and half for
succeeding hours.
3. Where plants are operated
by three eight-hour shifts en-
ployes shall be allowed twenty
minutes for lunch.
4. Effective January IA, 1918,
the wages Of all hourly wage
workeys shall be increased from
3h cents to ~ cents an hour, the
larger amount going to those who
had been earning 30 cents an
hour or less. Piece workers are
to receive proportionate per-
centage increase and in all cases
the rates are 10 be adjusted so
that the compensation of the new
eight hour day shall at least equal
that formerly paid for ten hours
work.
s. Wage rates shall be the
same for men and women doing
the same class of work.
6. There shall be no change in
the guaranteed time in effect No
vember 80, 1917, except that Swift
& Company are required to make
their weekly guarantee forty
hours, the same as In all other
plants.
PREscRIBEs WORKING FORM
The arbitrator also handed down ,
orm Of working agreement whici
rovides for hearing of grievances
ither through the employees person
lily or by representatives selected b.
hem, it being understood that Their
hall. be no permanent grievance com
littees. Employees may not be dis
harged because of trades union mem
ership or activities not carried on a
he plants.
The principle Of seniority is estab
shed for all employees below tn
rade of foreman. The companies ar
equired 10 furnish proper luncl
ooms, wash rooms and dressin,
ooms and employees are not to be re
uired to join company sick and dealt
enefit association. After a person
as been employed continuousl!
Or thirty days he Is to be considered
enerally competent and il dismissed
1ust be furnished, on demand, Will
pecific inform alton of the alleged in
which caused his dis
barge.
IMPORTANT IN WAR
In this award the judge pointed ou
be important part which the packin,
Industry plays in supplying the army
nd navy with food.
while we fondly hope that the wal
lay be brought to a speedy and tri
mphant end" he said, 1--WE are con
ronted with the possibility that Il
lay be long protracted, in which
vent the continued strength and good
pirit Of our defenders and Of our al
les win be very materially dependent
pom the continuous movement of sup
lies from our country and largely
rom this industry"
The judge pointed ont that the de
,and and award was for a basic
light hour day rather than an actua
light hour day, and said employer.
lay "in good faith require, and EN-
loyes will cheerfully render any
1rther service calculated to assure
ur government and our allies an un
meat supply"
VICTORY FOR WORKERS.
Except for the amount of the wage
lcrease the employees won practically
very point for which they contended
he demand had been for a fiat in
rease of 81 day whereas the award
orks. out increases ranging from AZ
, SO cents day on the basic Of the
Id ten hour day. Arbitrator also
lade slight reduction in the de
landed rates for over time on week
avs, the change being reduction
one-quarter time in the first two
ours.
Leaders of both sides said they were
,tfcfied with the findings