BEEF TRUST FIGHT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 209, 7 September 1904, Page 2

BEEF TRUST FIGHT.

CESSATION OF THE STRIKE PROPOSED-. NEW YORK, September 5. The Union of Butchers in New York voted for a cessation of the strike against the Beef Trust,

The meat-packers' strike, which started at Chicago, began on July 15th, and involves over 200;00U men, directly or indirectly, in the eight cities concerned, while industries representing £30,000,000 are a&ctad. Almost immediately on the calling of the strike (says a New York exchange) the prioe of moat was advanced by retailers, and in three days there was-ta jump in nearly every city east of the Rocky Mountains of from 2 to 10 cents a pound. The strike came after long negotiations and a final ultimatum iby the men. The reason the strike was callod is a moot question. The packers say that the men. demanded a rise in pay for unskilled labour ; the men say they wanted to prevent a reduction in

wages. Up to the 28th May last the unskilled labourers worked under an agreement lor 18 cents an hour, except in Omaha, where the scale was 19 cents un hour. On the expiration of the agreement the men demanded a 2(1 cent scale, mid the puckers cut the wages from 18 to 17J cents. The men soon reduced their demand to a return. to the old scale, which was not forthcoming. The men went out in the morning, cleaning up all work on hand first, and were joined by the girl employees. They declared that the plants were completely tied up. The packera put their ollicc forces into the plants, headed by the managers ol the establishments, and began the rapid employment of non-union men and said that they didn't care whether the strikers ever came back. The strikers sought arbitration broko off negotiations, declared the packers' terms impossible, and came back f o r more, repeating the operation several times, until success seemed to be achieved on 20th July the men carrying their principal point-that all the strikers should receive their old places back in a specified tiino-45 <tey B . jj 0 sooner however, was the settlement announced than the strike blazed forth m a more severe form, and proceedings which up t 0 this time had been orderly, bcc amo riotous. Women engaged in the fighting, and firearms were used,