Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-03-10
Attempt Made to ForeStaII
Abrogation of the War
Time Agreement Between
Packers and Employees.
A JUST SETTLEMENT
OR FEDERAL CONTROL
GomperS Is Also Asked to Go
to the White House and
Intercede For the Meat
Cutters Union.

Omdnd, NeD., MdICH j.
President Harding was ap-
pealed to tonight by repre-
sentatives of packing house
employees with a request
that he try to prevent a pro-
posed reduction of wages
and readjustment of work
ing hours, which have been
announced by meat packers
to become effective March
Delegates to a conference
called by the Amalgamated
Meat Cutters and Butcher
Workmen of North America
voted unanimously late to-
day to appeal to the presi-
dent in an attempt to fore
stall abrogation of the war
time agreement between the
packers and their employees.
The delegates represented
workers in every large pack
ing center of the country,
and their action, according
to union officials, affects
100000 employees.
Telegram to President.
The telegram to the packers
asked him to request the packers
to hold in allegiance" the wage
and hour changes announced as ef-
fective next Monday, until the sec
retary of labor can investigate
charges contained in the message
The conference also adopted a res
olution requesting the president TO
"use his good offices to compel the
packers to a compliance with the
agreement entered into by the gov
ernment and that unless the pack
ers consent, that he exercise his
power TO place all the packing
house industry under government
control and operation and publicly
brand the present owners and man
ayers of the industry as a menace
to the government and society in
general"
A Strike Warming.
A strike warning appeared In
the same resolution, which in
structed the union officers ito take
such action as will result in a
unanimous and effective resistance
to a return to the ten- hour day,
wage reductions and other barbaric
conditions that existed prior to
1871" unless President Harding
sends assurance of action accord
ing with the conference request.
This resolution, according to Den
mis- Lane, secretary treasurer of the
union, means authorization for a
strike affecting all packing house
employees of the United States and
Canada.
Samuel Gompers president Of the
American Federation of Labor, was
asked in another telegram sent to-
night, to go to the White House as
the direct representative of the
meat cutters union and urge i'm
mediate action on the packing
house workers request. He was
also asked to call meeting next
Monday in Chicago of all the al
lied unions working for the pack
ers to outline concerted action in
event OF strike.
Decision TO Appeal.
The decision to appeal to the
chief executive was made in a
lengthy session of the executive
board this afternoon. The recon-
mendations were Immediately
placed before the delegates in gen.
eeral conference. A heated discus
sion followed in which the pro-
posed action of the packers in re-
ducing wages by approximately Is
per cent and extending the possi-
BILE working day to ten hours, was
unanimously denounced.
The delegates present We're unan-
mously in favor of striking if the
changes announced by the packers
are put into effect according to
Mr.. Lane. A referendum vote will
be necessary however, before the
strike order can be issued. Mr.. Lane
said.
Packers Denounced.
Denouncing the packers action
in terminating the Alschuler ar
tration agreement as "a glaring
contempt and disregard for estab-
lished governmental agencies" the
resolution adopted by the confer
ence declared such action calls for
an unanimous, @unflinching fight to
a finish by not only our member
ship but that of all organized la
hor." The resolution states that
the packers believe the time oppor-
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