The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-01-16


 was too far gone" to be called oil now, but German wired Clark that, "as patriotic Americans" they should call of continuing the strike" Spokesmen for both unions said a formal reply would be issued later today.
 Night shift workers across the country left their jobs as the strike deadline passed, and plants were emptied except for maintenance crews, assigned to operate rsfriSera- ton machinery and prevent spoil- age of meat.
 Stage Pep Rally
 At Chicago, meat packing center of the nation, 25,000 CTO workers were called of their jobs. Chicago strikers staged a pep rally shortly before the deadline, then marched to the big union stockyards where they began picketing promptly at one minute after midnight.
 Police said picketS were entnusi- astic, but orderly. ..
 Cheers arose among the strikers ranks as they took an oath to "sticK 1t out" until 8 favorable wage set- clement was reached.
 The strike was directed princi- pally against the industry's big four packers-Swift, Armour, wilson and Cudahy-which supply &2 percent of the total meat production, but many smaller. independent plants also were involved.
 Nearly N Of Supply Affected
 Tn all. packing house officials estimated that between GO and 70 percent of the nations meat sup ply was affected.
 The walkout embraced all of the CI.O. unions 100000 members ex- cept for 10000 employed in plants where an interim wage agreement had been reached and in those designated by the union to con- tinue furnishing meat supplies to the armed forces, hospitals and other institutions.
 Nearly l25,O00 A.FL. meat work CTS walked out with members Of the rival CIO. group.
 Efforts Collapsed Early
 Cancellation efforts collapsed at .s D. m. (CST) last night when Edgar L. Warren, U. s. conciliation director, announced that he had been unable to force a wage agree ment between the disputing fac- tions. Warren left by plane shortly thereafter for Washington.
 The CIO. union charged the meat packing trust" with causing the walkout by insisting that its profits be subsidized either by the public or its low-paid workers"
 The companies, in turn, main- tained that union demands for an immediate 17h cent increase could not be met without substantial in- creases in meat prices.
 Federal Offer Insufficient
 Emerging from the conference at 6:3O D. m, Armour officials dis closed that the government had offered an additional 90 to 35 cents q hundred pounds on dressed meat purchased by the government and 10 to i21A cents more on other meat.
 George A. Eastwood, Armour president, termed the offer ESQ inc sufficient as to be utterly absurd. and said that it would enable the company to raise wages only four cents an hour.
 Government officials contended that the allowed price increase would enable companies to add an additional six cents to their wage proposals to the union.
 Need Price Increases
 Top offer from Armour and Swift was a Th.cent hourly pay boost. Armour reportedly offered. then withdrew, 8 i0-cent proposal con- tingent on price increases.
 Both companies claimed they could not afford to raise wages un- less prices were increased. and Swift & Company officials said that the wage increase demanded by the union amounted to more than It's entire profits for the past year.
 Tn a prepared statement. Swift said that "at no time have govern ment officials suggested formula of price relief that would be suf- flcient to offset our offer to the union" It added that It's wage pro- posals had been made with the full intention of requesting com- mensurate price relief"
 Small Firms Agree
 C.xO. President ClaTk said t was .In1efestlng to notep that the big
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