New-York tribune., 1921-12-15
Packers Admit
Price Increase
Since Strike
Economic Development"
Is Their Explanation of
20 r. c. Jump, but Union
Calls 1t Profiteering
s'Outrage," :" Retailers Add
$500 Butchers Refuse to
Handle ssBig Five'' Meat
and Threaten Walk-Out

Representatives Of the New York
packing firms, in a statement issued
last night, admitted officially that while
there is no local meat shortage or a
likelihood of one because of the strike
OF meat workers, they have increased
the wholesale price of most meat prod
ucts here.
A number of retail butchers, declin-
ing to permit the use of their names in
fear of reprisals, were Of slightly diff
ferent opinion.
ut Is an unnatural and unwarranted
outrage" they said.
A direct accusation Of profiteering
was the comment of the strikers.
Strikers List Advances
The packing company officials did
not make clear in their statement,
which was issued by the Meat Council
of New York, just how much the prices
of meat have been boosted here. How
ever, the Labor Bureau, which repre-
sents the strikers, did this for them,
issuing figures compiled from the off,
cial reports of the Federal Department
of Agriculture and retail survey,
which were summarized as follows:
81. Wholesale prices of meat have
advanced 2sA per cent since the
strike began.
"2. Retail prices have advanced 19M
per cent during the same period.
"3. Wholesale prices of meat were
increased 10 per cent two days in ad-
vance of the strike"
These facts, the Labor Bureau as
serts, support the following conclu-
sions:
81. The strike against the Big Five
subsidiaries has seriously affected the
meat supply of the city, even though
there are considerable number of in
dependent concerns which have col
lective agreement with the union and
against whom no strike has been called.
"2. The wholesalers have taken ad-
vantage cf the situation to boost prices
to q much larger extent than the re-
tailers.
IS. Judged by the price index. the
strike is just as effective to-day as it
was on Monday.
"a. The packers had thorough knowl
edge of the strike in advance"
Percentages Compared
The following comparative percent
ages Of increase in wholesale and re-
tail prices are given by the Labor
Bureau:
Meat. Wholesale. Retail.
Beer ................ 81 l2
ksnl ksmb and mutton 2s 2s1 i-s as'' e
Pork cuts ................. Soh 261-3
John Kennedy, leader of the strikers.
last night made a direct charge of
"profteering" against the packing con-
Germs He said:
"The refusal of the Big Five and its
subsidiaries to continue their regu-
lar yearly contract with their workers
in New York is the direct cause Of actual
hardship to practically every family
in the city through increased prices
Of meat. The shortage caused by the
the union, and the advantage which they
have taken Of the situation to profteer
have now effected all the retail dealers
of the city and the customers they
serve.
"The desire of the big packing con-
Germs to smash collective bargaining
is now public menace"
Natural Economic Development"
Following is the statement Of the
Meat Council of New York:
"The members of the council at a
moeting to-day made careful cam
yass of the meat situation in the
metropolitan district. The following
facts were developed:
81. There is no shortage of meats in
this section and there are no indica-
tions that such a shortage will develop.
SO. The strike has interfered in
some measure with the normal chan
nels of distribution, which has brought
about an increase in the wholesale
price Of most meat products.
"3. This increase in Wholesale prices
| is being reflected in retail prices and
is natural economic development.
80. This arrangement in the move
ment in supplies and the price in
creases appear to be only temporary,
and should disappear in the near fu-
ture as the industry becomes adjusted
to the existing situation.'
The cause of the strikers became
considerably strengthened during the
| day when it was announced that $500
union retail butcher employees had
served notice on their employers that
they would refuse to handle the prod
ucts of the "Big Five" subsidiaries in
New York City and Westchester Coun-
ty. This was accompanied by strike
| threat.
A claim that the affected packing
plants are operating at less than one
half of l per cent capacity, "with the
strike 80 per cent effective" was made
at union headquarters.