The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1921-04-08

of such meeting now-so | am going
to give you the following facts in
condensed form, for your information,
and tC enable you to transmit same
to the membership at the meetings
you attend
If there is any criticism regarding
the settlement made, it will be as to
why was the wage cut accepted with
out arbitration The answer is this
the packers attorneys took the firm
position throughout the conference.
that the AIschuler agreement had end
ed and that they wanted to run their
own business--that they could get
plenty of men at 30 and 35c an hour,
and all they wanted the government to
do, was to keep ''hands off"
We kept insisting that the agree
ment was still in effect!
After three days of deadlock we
were told by the government officials
that they were of the opinion that it
was never intended that the agree
ment of December, 1917, or the re-
newal of April, 1919, should run until
this late date" They pointed out
"that at present there were over three
million unemployed throughout the
nation, and that the workers in al
most every industry, where there was
any work, had accepted a wage re-
duction, and that according to gov
ernment statistics, the cost of living
had been reduced 20 per cent during
the past year"
We We're finally told by the govern
ment officials that if we would accept
wage reductions, they would stand
squarely behind US and go along with
us in order to save the basic eight
hour day, overtime rates, protection
cf seniority rights, the right to or
ganize and the other features in the
agreement-and have the agreement
extended for SIX months"
We were face to face with the sit
uation of either going with the re-
commendation of the government of
ficials, or plunging our membership
into strike. That was tremendous
responsibility! We consulted the rep
resentatives of the other trades in
volved; they agreed with us that if
we did not accept, after such an offer
had been made, we would have pub
lie sentiment against US, and the wise
thing to do would be to take wage
cut. We gave consideration to the
fact that this is the light season, and
that about September Is is the begin
ming Of the heavy season in the pack
ing industry.
Finally, after most intense and
thorough consideration ofAll phases
Of the situation, we agreed to follow
the recommendation of the govern
ment and accept a cut, thereby saving
the eight-hour day and the other ben
efcial features of the agreement, for
six months.
The packers, even then, would not
agree-they wanted strike NOW
Because, having their store-houses
loaded with meat, and millions of un-
employed on the market, they felt
that this was their day. They resist
ed going back to an agreement of any
kind. The government officials had
considerable difficulty before they
could get them to agree to continue
under the Alschuler administration
until September Is.
To sum up-what have we accom>
plished? / believe every member
who will take the trouble to get the
facts and do little thinking, will
agree with me, that considering all
the circumstances, we have accom-
plished great deal
| First-We have prevented a strike
at light season of the year in the
industry and at time when millions
are out of work and when the pack
ers have an immense supply of meat
in refrigeration.
Second-We saved the eight-houl
day with over time rates.