Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-11-19
UNION PACKING
OUSEFORCES
AGREE TO 0SLASH.
Plant Committees of
big Five Are Ready
to Accept Wage Cuts.
No Change Is Made in
Working Conditions or
Guaranteed Hours.

Chicago, Nov. 1S.--(By the Associ-
ated Press.)-Employes of Armour &
Co, 10000 in all, Friday, through their
plant governing committees. agreed
with officials of the packing house
that a wage reduction is necessary and
fixed it's amount. The cut is effective
November 2S.
Friday night, officials of Swift g. Co.
announced that after an all-day confer
ence, the representatives of the Chi
cago assembly of employees had voted
that a readjustment of wages was nec-
essary, had extended vote of conf
dence in the management and had yot-
ed to leave the wage readJustment to
the discretion of the management.
The company announced reductions
practically corresponding to those fixed
by the employees of Armour Il Co. and
effective on the same date, November
%. Company officials said they ex-
pected the other 16 assemblies of en-
ployes to take similar action.
This is the first time in the history
of the industry that wage reduction
has been arrived at in such man
ner.
Others to Follow
Employees of Swift & Co, Wilson &
Co. ard the Cudahy Packing company,
who are holding plant conferences, are
expected to accept similar reductions,
and Morris & Co. has announced it will
follow the example of the others. All
Of the Big Five except Morris & Co.
last spring inaugurated the plant con-
gress' system of employees participa
tion in the management of the indus
try.
The agreement between Armour g.
day conference. Twenty-four employees
nine cities, met with an equal number
Of officials representing the company.
The books were opened and the finan-
clal situation of the company explained.
The question was put to vote, and
the following reductions, effective in
all plants except that at Fort Worth,
Texas, adopted:
For piece workers, per cent
Unskilled labor, getting 40 cents an
hour or less, T1a cents.
Semi skilled labor, getting 45 and so
cents an hour, 5 cents.
Skilled labor, getting 80 cents an
hour and over, 3 cents.
A minimum wage of % cents an hour
for adult female labor is provided.
These reductions apply to plants in
Chicago, South st. Paul, Sioux City.
Omaha, st. Joseph, Kansas City. st.
Louis and Denver.
The reductions Mt Fort Worth. where
wages are gauged by local labor con-
itions, are:
Tnskilled labor. receiving less than
T. II cents an hour, 1-2 cents.
Semi-skillcd labor receiving from
~ IL to Al 1-2 cents an hour, cents.
Skilled labor receiving more than
II IL cents an hour, 3 cents.
Affect $4,000 Workers
When the reductions are applied to
.he plants Of the other members of the
zig five. 125. 900 men and women will be
IN the final result. far
arger number will be directly con-
as wages in several hundred
smaller packing houses are based on
he big five scales.
No change is made in working condi-
ions or the 40 hour week guarantee.
Fridays action, officials said, marked
! new departure in American industry.
While the plant congress" idea has
,een tried with varying success in other
ines, the packing houses were the first
method of employe representation in
he management.
During the war, and up until Septem-
,er Is of last year, by agreement with
he department Of labor. wages in the
packing industry were fixed by Judge
Samuel Alschuler, member Of the
United States circuit court of appeals
lere. All disputes were referred to
lin for arbitration. Last spring, when
he plants decided to further extend
he arbitration agreement, four of the
zig five organized the employees COM
nittees. A number Of minor matters
we're referred to the plant boards for
djudication, but the present wage
question was the first serious problem
hey were called on to tackle
Ten days ago, the companies an
lounced in statements to their en-
loyes that wage reduction would be
ecessary, and outlined their reasons
or requesting the cut. !
The final test of the plan will come,
owever, officials say, when it is seen
,hether or not the body of employees
ccept the decision of their chosen rem
Il. A. Cudahy of the Cudahy Packing
ompany announced that the PROPOSE
ion of accepting lower wages was !
laced before the plant assemblies of |
he company in Omaha, Kansas City,
Wichita and Sioux City. He stated |
hat he had not learned the result Of !!
he deliberations but had no doubt that |
he action would be similar to that |
nken by employees of Armour and |
Witt.