The Chicago Star

UPWA gears for strike; meets with U.S. conciliators
CIO United Packinghouse Workers of America officers sat down with Big Four meat packers and Thomas J. Cleland, commissioner for the U. S. Mediation and Conciliation Service this week; to discuss a 29-cent hourly wage increase, as UPWA's district representatives alerted their unions for possible nation-wide strike action.

Ralph Helstein, UPWA president, announced that plans to strike the nation's leading meat packing plants was authorized by a strike strategy committee, following a 20 to one vote by more than 100,000 packinghouse workers to strike for an adequate wage increase. A date for the strike has been set, but not revealed.

HERBERT March, director of the Chicago area district, including downstate Illinois and Wisconsin, said that strike committees are being organized, strike captains appointed, picket signs prepared, and instruction meetings held.

The union is asking for a 29 cent hourly wage increase as an initial payment toward meeting minimum family budget standards indicated by the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

"We expect to continue negotiating with the companies, although, up to the present, the packers have made no realistic attempts to pay an increase which would provide for decent living standards," said Helstein.

But the resounding vote by the packinghouse workers to strike indicates their willingness to use their full economic strength, if necessary, to receive their just demands.

Although Big Four packers received over $88 million in profits after taxes during 1947, they have refused to make any reasonable compromise to the union's demands. Packers termed the modest 29-cent demand "exorbitant and unreasonable."