The New York herald., 1921-11-19
ARMOUR EMPLOYEES
FIX own WAGE CUT
Representatives Meet With
Officials, Who Open Books
to Workers.
26.OO0 ARE AFFECTED
Swift Men Admit Need OF
Cut; Leave Amount to
Management.
OTHER PLANTS TO FOLLOW
Workers Expected to Accept
Action of Assembly of
Employees
OTHER PLANTS TO FOLLOW

I'm ployees of Armour & Co.-26, 600
in all-to-day through their plant
governing committee, agreed with Of
ficials OF the packing house that a
wage reduction is necessary, and fixed
its amount. The cut is effective No
vember %.
This is the first time in the his
tory of the industry that a wage re-
duction has been arrived at in such a
manner.
Tonight officials of Swift & Co. an
rounced that after an all day confer
ence the representatives of the Chicago
Assembly of Employees had voted that
a readjustment of wages was neces-
sary, had extended vote Of conf
dence in the management and had
voted to leave the wage readjustment
to the discretion Of the management.
Employees OF Wilson g. Co. and the
Cudahy Packing Company. who are hold
ing plant conferences. are expected to
accept similar reductions, and Norris &
Co. has announced it will follow the
Five except Morris & Co. last spring
inaugurated the plant congress system
Of employees participation in the man
agement of the industry.
List of Reductions.
The question was put to a vote and
the following reductions, effective in all
plants except that at Fort Worth. Texas.
adopted:
For piece workers, per cent; un-
skilled labor, getting 45 cents an hour
or less, 71s cents; semi-skilled labor,
getting As and and 50 cents an hour, 8
cents. A minimum wage OF % cents an
hour for adult female labor is pro-
vided
These reductions apply to plants in
Chicago. st. Paul. Sioux City, Omaha
81. Joseph. Kansas City. st. Louis and
Denver
The reductions in Forth Worth, where
wages are gauged by local labor con-
ditions, are.
Unskilled labor. receiving less than
42h cents an hour, ~ cents.
Semi-skilled labor. receiving from 4215
TO 471s cents an hour, s cents.
cents an hour. 3 cents.
When the reductions are applied to the
plants Of the other members of the Big
Five 125.000 men and women will be af-
fected. In the final result a far larger
number will be- directly concerned. as
wages in several hundred smaller pack
ing houses are based on the Big Five
scales
No change is made in working condi-
fnr1c hA fArtxv ~
Marks New Departure.
To-day's action, officials said. marked
a new departure in American industry.
While the plant congress" idea has been
tried with varying success IN other lines
the packing houses were the first ma
tional industry to attempt this method Of
employee representation in the manage
nent.
Ten days ago the companies announced
in @ statement to their employees that
a wage reduction would be necessary
and outlined their reasons for requesting
the cut. To-day's action was the result.
Officials of the company say they sug-
gestcd no figure for the proposed reduc-
ton. The employees representatives
called for the books. and from the COM
pany's financial showing figured out the
reduction, which was adopted. The ac-
ton, II was emphasized, was purely vol
untary on the part of the employees COM
mittee, the company representatives
agreeing TO the cut proposed by the
workers.
OMAHA, Now 1S.-The 5000 members
OF the Omaha Chapter OF the Amalga-
mated Meat Cutters and Butcher Work
men of North America will not accept
the wage reduction agreement made to-
day in Chicago between representatives
OF Armour & Co. and the plant COM
mittee,' according to statement made
tonight by J. w. Burns, secretary OF
District Council No. 5 OF the Meat Cut
ters and Butcher Workmen.