Evening star., 1948-04-18
Armour Won tReopen
Plants During Strike,
Union Tells Truman
Urges President to Call
New Inquiry Into Company
Halt in Negotiations

UAW REJECTS Chrysler Offer,
Moves to Strike. Page AS.
NLRB VOIDS ELECTION Won by
Steelworkers. Page Az.
BY the Associoted Press
CHICAGO, April II. - The
United Packinghouse Workers
Union, CIO, today wired Presi-
dent Truman that there will be
no operation in Armour plants
after the meat-packing company
said it's negotiations with the
union had begged down.
Negotiations to end the 33-day-
old Nation wide walkout of meat
handlers reached stalemate in
nearly half of the industry.
In Oklahoma City, fines totaling
81 $50 were levied against IA men,
bers of the United Packing House
Workers for contempt of court to-
day. The IA union defendants were
convicted by District Court jury
Wednesday for being in contempt of
restraining order which prohibits
violence at the bound Armour
d. Co. plant. Maximum fines of 5000
each were assessed against eight
strikers.
Armour and Co. announced yes
terday it would start move to re-
store operations in its plants with
out a settlement. Armour is one
of the so-called Big Four packers.
Urges Board Be RecOnvened.
Ralph Helstein, union president,
telegraphed the President urging
that the presidential fact-finding
board be reconvened "for further
investigat ton" of Armour's action
in terminating negotiations yester-
day.
Despite Armour's assertions 1t
will try to reopen its plants, Mr..
Helstein declared there is. has
been and will be no operation at
Armour plants which are on strike. "
Yesterday, Armour said in state
ment:
I'VE have evidence that our wage
rates are attractive in getting new
employees. Four of our struck plants
are already producing on local
basis and fair progress toward that
goal is being made in all others
where the legal right of men to
work If they want to has been
upheld"
The company said it would give
preference to any striking employees
who wish to return to work. Armour
has 81 plants on strike.
Mr.. Helstein took issue with the
company's contention that some9nf
it's plants have been in partial pro-
duction.
Sees Armour Admission.
with its present announcement
that it still hopes to engage in
operation" Mr.. Helstein said, Ar
mour has admitted the falsity OF all
its earlier claims of operation.
Much as we regret the necessity
thus forced upon us" Mr.. Helstein' s
wire to the President read, I'VE are
compelled to report to you on the
basis of the determination OF 10000
employees of Armour, that there ap-
pears to be no prospect of any meat
production at struck Armour plants
for an unpredictable period OF time"
Armour and Wilson & Co., an
other of the big four" announced
they were standing pat on their
previously rejected offer of a nine
cents an hour wage increase. The
union has demanded % cents more
an hour for its nearly 100000 strik-
ing workers.
Armour said it would attempt to
restore operations in its plants "as
rapidly as we can obtain personnel
1t added that negotiations are
over"
Real Test Next Week.
Armour's back-to-work movement
will face it's real test next week
Packing plant operations normally
are nearly at standstill on Satur-
days.
/ A spokesman for Wilson said his
company's position on negotiations
was similar to that of Armour
We've offered them nine cents: that
is our best and final offer" he said
He added that no further negotiat-
ing sessions are in prospect. How
ever, Wilson made no announcement
of intention to reopen its plantsn