Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1921-05-05
Packing House Employees Want
President to Act Till Secretary
Davis Can Study Charges.
MEN THREATEN STRIKE
Union Officers Instructed to Take Ae.
tion to Fight Against Returning to
Ten.Hour Day and General
Reduction in Wages.


the Department Of Labor In settle
ment Of the controversy between
packing house employees and the
packing concerns growing out OF
proposed wage reductions were Of
fered In kilograms sent to the
unions and packers by Secretary
Of Labor Davis. Secretary Davis,
after a conference with President
Harding, also requested the pack
ers and the employees each to de-
signate two representatives to
meet with Department of Labor
agents in an attempt to readjust
the dispute which threatens to de-
veiop into strike.
Omaha-President Harding was
called on to settle his first big indus
trial problem since his Inauguration
when representatives of packing house
employees asked him to prevent pro.
posed wage reductions and re-adjust-
ments Of working hours.
Delegates to conference called by
the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and
Butcher Workmen of North America
voted unanimously to appeal to the
President in an attempt to forestall
abrogation of the wartime agreement
between the packers and their en-
ployes. The delegates represented
workers in every large packing cen.
ter of the country, and their action, &C.
cording to union officials, affects 200,-
900 employees.
Strike Warning Given.
The telegram to the President asked
him to request the packers to "hold
in abeyance the wage and hour
changes" announced as effective Mon
day, Mar. IA, until the Secretary of
Labor can investigate charges con.
tanned in the message.
A strike warning appeared in the
same resolution which instructed the
union officials "to take such action as
will result in a unanimous and effec.
tive resistance to return to the ten
hour work day, wage reductions and
other barbaric conditions that existed
prior to 1917" unless President Hard
ing sends assurance Of action accord
ing with the conference request. This
resolution, according to Dennis Lane,
secretary-treasurer of the union, means
authorization for strike affecting all
packing house employees of the United
States and Canada.
Gompers Asked to Act.
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor, was
asked in another telegram to go to the
White House as the direct represen-
tatfve Of the meat cutters union and
urge immediate action on the packing
house workers request. He also was
asked to call meeting in Chicago of
the allied unions working for the
packers to outline concerted action in
event of strike.
The decision to appeal to the Chief
Executive was made in lengthy ses-
sion Of the executive board. The re.
concentrations were Immediately
placed before the delegates in general
conferences. A heated discussion fol.
lowed in which the proposed action Of
the packers in reducing wages by ap.
proximately Is per cent and extending
the possible working day to ten hours,
was unanimously denounced.
The delegates present were unani-
mously in favor of striking If the
changes announced by the packers
were put into effect. according to Mr..
Lane. A referendum vote will be
necessary, however, before the strike
order can be issued. Mr.. Lane said.