The New York herald., 1921-03-24
STRIKE AVERTED;
PACKING TRADES
ACCEPT WAGE CUT
New Administration Scores
Its First Victory From
Labor Dispute.
EIGHT HOUR DAY WON
Both Sides Yield in Terms
Worked Out by Labor
secretary Davis.
ALL BIG FIVE INCLUDED
Plan Provides Termination Of
War Time Agreement Sep
tember Is Next.
ALL BIG FIVE INCLUDED
brectdl Despatch TO The NEW York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c., March 20.

washington, ID. u, Marcn rs.
What threatened to be a serious
strike in the meat packing industry
tying up that portion OF the ma
tons food supply, was averted to-day
through an agreement reached by the
packers and the employees with the
aid of Secretary of Labor Davis. 1t
was the first labor victory of the
Harding Administration and resulted
from an appeal made directly to Mr.
Harding at the White House.
The agreement was reached after a
series of long conferences covering
period Of days and took the form Of
letters sent to the Secretary of Labor
In which the packers and the en-
ployees presented what they under
stood to be the terms under which
they would operate. The letters were
identical except that the letter Of the
employees said it was their under
standing that the agreement related
solely to the packing houses within
the so-called Alschuler district, under
The Jurisdiction OF Judge -Alschuler. but
1t pertains to the leading packers.
The essential portions Of the agree
ment provide that the wage cuts OF 8
cents an hour for hourly workers and
iz1a per cent. for all piece workers
snail remain in effect as OF the dates
announced by the packers, and shall not
be subject to any further arbitration
that the basic eight hour day shall be
retained and that the so-called war time
agreement regulating working condi-
tions in the packing industry continue
until September 15, but end at that
time.
Both Sides Yield.
The agreement is in the nature OF a
compromise and both sides apparently
were satisfied The packers affected
were the Big Five consisting Of the
Swift. Morris. Wilson. Cudahy and Ar
mour interests.
Provisions of the agreement as signed
by J. G. Condor and Carl Meyer, rep
resenting the Big Five packers. and by
Dennis Lane and Redmon 8. Brennan
for the Amalgamated Order of Meat
Cutters and Butchers Workers OF North
America, follow:
''Birst-The wage cuts of s cents per
hour for hourly workers and 12h per
cent for all piece workers shall remain
In effect as of the dates announced by
the packers and shall not be subject
to any further arbitration. IL any
further reductions are desired they shall
be submitted to the administrator.
"Second-The basic eight hour day
and overtime rates as announced in the
latest rulings of Judge Alschuler shall
be restored. subject however, to the
right of the employers or employees to
submit to the administrator. IL they de-
sire. any question as to changes therein.
"Third-The agreement of December
rs, 1917. and extensions thereof and all
decisions Hereunder (except as herein
nnodihed) shall remain in effect until
September Is, 1921. at which time the
agreement and all awards Hereunder
and supplements and renewals thereof
and understandings connected Herewith
shall absolutely terminate.
May Work Ont own System.
"Fourth-Judge Samuel Alschuler or
his successor. as administrator shall un-
Ill said date retain and exercise ali of
the Jurisdiction and authority hereto
fore existing and the employers and the
employees shall abide by his decisions
under the administration. and all SUBJ
jects of hours, wages. conditions and
adjustments thereof excepting as herein
before set out. The employers and en-
ployees shall. however, be permitted to
put into operation plans whereby they
may develop a method to handle between
themselves all matters of mutual inter
est so long as they do not interfere with
the administration.
'.Sixth-We understand and appre-
ciate that this agreement contemplatcs
and covers the exigencies and conditions
at this time i'm the packing houses with
IN the Alschuler administration without
relation TO industrial conditions or wages
generally"
"Fifth--Any questions relating TO
hours or wages submitted to the admin
istrator during the continuance OF the
agreement shall be submitted in written
briefs, unless otherwise requested by the
administrators.
Messrs. Condor and Meyer made the
following statement after the announce
ment of the agreement:
after several conferences with Sec
rotary Davis, Secretary Hoover and Sec
retary Wallace we have agreed with
Secretary Davis 10 a definite termina-
ton of the war time labor agreement.
This will enable the packers TO COM
plete plans already announced to adjust
between themselves and their employees
all matters of mutual interest
"The agreement we signed to-day is
but truce FOR us TO prepare for war;"
said Mr.. Brennan In his statement. "If
after September Is the packers maintain
the attitude they have shown In the
past and refuse TO deal with their en-
ployees In fair adjustment Of differ
cnces. there will be serious Industrial
strike.
II am calling a mass meeting Of en-
ployees at Chicago Sunday, and In other
centres Sunday or as soon after that as
possible, in which we will urge them
TO accept tho agreement until another
agreement can be made.
~we agreed to wage reduction only
because Of the strong pressure brought
by the Government Our attitude from
the fret completely won Secretaries
Davis, Hoover and Wallace. want to
say that IN tho past have never con-
sidered Herbert Hoover friendly toward
abor but | was gratifed az the way
IN which he graspcd the justice Of our
clairne. He ehowed a remarkable knowl-
edRo OF industrial principles and an
kscurste acquaintance with economic
&bndftions~