The Potters Herald

Armour, Third Of
Big Four Packers,
Signs With UPW

Chicago (FP)-Armour Co. became the third of the Big Four packers to sign a new contract with the United Packinghouse Workers, granting 36,000 employees in 23 plants wage increases ranging from 7½ to 23 cents an hour.

The increases are retroactive to Nov. 1 and the contract permits wage reopening on April 1, 1947, and once in the contract year 1947-48.

Signing of the contract virtually assured peaceful relations with the leaders of the meat packing industry. Similar agreements have been reached with Cudahy and Wilson and union leaders are awaiting ratification by the locals of an agreement with Swift.

Included in the new Armour contract is a narrowing down of wage differentials between northern and southern packinghouse workers.

Thirteen plants in the Armour chain are to receive geographical adjustments varying from 2½ cents an hour in the midwest to 15½ cents at Armour's Fort Worth, Tex., plant.

Other gains include: (1) a statement of policy recognizing "the importance and desirability of a guaranteed annual wage with both the union and company making independent studies of its practicability. (2) an improved vacation

(Turn to Page Six)
Armour's
(Continued From Page One)

plan, paid sick leave for two weeks a year at one-half the regular wage, eight paid holidays, (3) a minimum 21 cents hourly increase for certain classifications of women workers, (4) increased night work premiums from 5 to 7 cents an hour.