The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-05-19
Meut Cutters Make
Phenomenal Coins
In Last Few Years
Membership of Union Goes
Over 10000 Mark In
February

Chicago GLNS). - The Amalga-
mated Meat Cutters and Butcher
Workmen of North America has made
progress little less than phenomena
in recent years, information made
public at international union head
quarters here shows. This old affili-
ate of the American Federation of La
Dor has marched steadily onward, de-
spite great obstacles and an effective
program of organization has brought
marked gains in both the slaughterine
and retail branches of the meat in
dustry.
Membership Of the international
union in February, 1888, passed the
100000 mark and is still pointed up,
ward, with substantial gains in pros
pect in coming months.
Eighty-five per cent of the tota
national membership of the Amalga
mated are now working under strict!
union agreements. The bitter oppo
sition of the so-called "Big Four
packers has been broken down. The
Swift, Armour and Cudahy Companies
in all of their plants on the West
coast, have strictly union agreements
with the Amalgamated All of the
large packers at Pittsburgh are 10(
per cent organized. The largest inde
pendent packer of the nation, Kingar
& Company, has signed agreement:
with the Amalgamated covering thei1
1000 employees in their six major
plants.
Chicago Packers in Line
Every packing plant affiliated will
the Chicago Packers Association il
being operated under an agreemen
with the Amalgamated with the union
shop and check-off systems included
Every Butcher Workman in associa
tion plants of Philadelphia, Richmond
Boston, Sioux Falls, S. d., San Fran
cisco, Seattle, Portland, Tacoma, Butte
Mont, Salt Lake City, st. Louis, De
troit, Toledo, Cleveland, Cincinnati ant
nineteen plants in Buffalo, New Yorl
is either working under strictly close'
shop contracts or with understand
ings with the employers that creates
better wages and better working con
ditions for all.
The Amalgamated drive in New
York City has gained such momentum
that large concerns like Gobel G. Com
pany and Stahl- Meyer have beer
brought into line under favorable
union shop conditions.
Nationwide Retail Pact
In the retail field the Butcher Work
men accomplished in the late 1913
the almost impossible in that the
secured a nationwide agreement, wit
the United Retail Meat Dealers AS
sociation of the United States, GOV
ering all of the stores of the NOR
than 10000 members of this employ
ers' organization.
They also negotiated nationa
agreement with Safeway stores, tn
second largest chain outfit in the ma
ton, which guarantees union sho
conditions for all of the 1000 mea
cutters employed by the Safewa
Company.
The large Eastern and Midwes
chain outfits of b. H. Kroger & Com
pany has been successfully organize
: and agreements negotiated
A union shop agreement has bee
secured with the First National Store
that operate in New England 2,7G
{ units.
The large Sanitary Stores systel
operating in Washington, ID. c., an
vicinity has been thoroughly organ
lied and union shop agreement
t signed.
A. 4 p. Chain Contract Expected
Thorough organization of the larg
Midwest division of the Atlantic
2 Pacific chain has been accomplishe,
+ Union shop contracts have been sigr
5 ed with the Atlantic & Pacific by tn
: Amalgamated to cover all of the mes
e cutters employed by this concern ;
Chicago, st. Louis, Minneapolis, S
: Paul, Milwaukee, Kansas City an
4 scores of other cities. The Butche
!, 'Workmen have made contacts wit
n the Atlantic & Pacific high officia
a that will, in all probability within
short time, result in the thoroup
e unionization of the company fro
: coast to coast.