Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-10
PACKING HELP.
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ers and their employees. The action
Of the delegates, who represent work.
ers in every large packing center, at
fects 100000 employees. union officials
said.
The telegram to the president asked
him to request the packers to hold
in allegiance the wage and hour changes
announced as effective Monday. until
the secretary Of labor can investigate
charges contained in the message. The
conference also adopted resolution
requesting the president to 'use his
good Offices to compel the packers to
comply with the agreement entered
into with the government and that un-
less the packers consent. that he ex-
ercfse his power to place the packing
house industry under control of the
government, and publicly brand the
presentowners and managers of the
industry as a menace to the govern
ment and society in general"
strike warning appeared in the
same resolution which instructed the
union officers ito take such action as
viii result in a unanimous and effec-
tive resistance to a return to the To-
hour workday, at a wage reduction and
other barbaric conditions that existed
prior to 1917" Unless President Hard
resolution. according to Dennis Lane.
secretary treasurer of the union, means
AUTHORIZATION for a strike affecting all
packing house employees of the United
States and Canada.
The decision to appeal to the chief
executive was made in q lengthy ses-
sion of the executive board this aft
ernoon. The recommendations were
Immediately placed before the dele
gates4n general conference. A heat
ed discussion in which the proposed
action of the packers in reducing
wages by approximately Is per cent.
and making straight time apply for
10 hours daily instead of eight, was
denounced.
The delegates present were unani-
mously in favor of striking if the
changes announced by the packers
are put into effect, according to Mr..
Lane. A referendum vote was
necessary however, before the strike
order can be issued he said.
During the war, the telegram con-
tinued, workers of the packing
plants were confronted with mount
ing living costs and at the same time
information of the enormous profits
of the packers was published broad
cast. ~
I'm this national emergency" the
telegram said, "the employers
showed fight and said they were
willing that strike should take
place. On the other hand, the en-
ployes representatives induced them
to remain on the job as a patriotic
duty. President Wilson succeeded
in bringing the packers into confer
ence and the result was an agree
ment that during the period of the
war they would submit all points of
diqcrence with their employees to ar
bitration. Judge Alschuler was Sc
lected to arbitrate these differences.
The telegram further recites that
the agreement was continued after
the armistice at the request of the
beginning of the reconstruction Pc
riod. the packers repudiate their
agreement. They have further an
nounced that beginning next Monday
they will reduce wages II IL to 10
per cent. and reinstate the ten horr
day in all their plants, Judge Alschu-
Ter having granted the employees an
81 Jn,r ,f,l Iii u
I'VE charge" the telegram sad,
That the packers having forced live
stock prices down to a lower than
pre- war level and having filed the
store houses to overfiowing with
meat bought at the lowest of prices
on the toof now propose u cr;ppi.,
industry deliberately for the pu, pose
prices upon the public, thereby
achieving the double purpose OF enor--
nous profits by adding to the cost If
living to the general public and of
striking, at the same time, 81 body
blow ~ organized labor for tho I.ur-
pose of destroying it"
An orderly and established method
confc' enCe and arbitration is advo-
Gated in the telegram.
Denial that the packers had large
stores of meat on hand was made in
a statement tonight by Richard Hebb
of Chicago, speaking for the packers.
He sad that all storage on hand Feb
ruary IS were but 100000 pounds
more than the same date last year