Armour Packing Co. Union Disputes, Bob Armstrong, Union Rep, 1946

Archive

-

St. Joseph Museums

A-1

A-1

Name/Title

Armour Packing Co. Union Disputes, Bob Armstrong, Union Rep, 1946

Entry/Object ID

AM2015.7.3

Scope and Content

Armour Packing Co. Union Disputes, Bob Armstrong, Union Rep, 1946. The documents in 15.7 all concern grievances especially initiated by Robert Armstrong, a fiery advocate. See below for info on Armstrong. A = Feb, 21, 1946 Memo from R. M. Tascher regarding "Beef Kill Work Stoppage" related to employee complaint that 12 beds instead of 6 beds were needed by the headers to be able to meet production standards. The Company agreed to 12 beds. B = Aug. 2, 1946. Interview with Howard Miller, Gen. Foreman, related to a strike in the Beef Killing Dept. C = Aug.2, 1946. Interview with Joe Bucher, Asst. Foreman, about above. D= Aug. 24, 1946 Memo from Supt. Stewart regarding "Cattle Gang Walk Out" related to cattle not being available early in the day that Saturday and the need for the men to work 9½ hours to make up the order needed to be loaded on Sunday. The employees refused to work longer than 8 hours. E = Aug. 27, 1946 Memo from R.M. Tascher related to Grievance associated with Beef Kill Walkout on Aug. 24. Management determined the walk out in violation of the contract and docked the gang's pay. F = Oct. 30, 1946 Memo from R.M. Tascher regarding a grievance brought by Armstrong about seniority set up in the Hog Killing Dept. Management refused the union their own investigation and agreed to correct the set up. G = Oc.t 22, 1946 Memo from R. M. Tascher reciting decision on grievance filed by Armstrong and Ingersoll about the pay and work assignments for women in the Hog Kill Department. and management contention that the Union Reps were not supposed to be in other departments. H = Nov. 26, 1946 Memos from Joe Bucher & Howard Miller regarding Work Stoppage in Beef Kil Dept. because Bucher, a supervisor, was working on the line with a new employee. Robert Armstrong was a black man who worked as a "header" in the Beef Killing Dept. He was also a union representative and member of the grievance committee. His active defense of provisions of the Union contract he felt were being violated, he was often in trouble with management and was actually discharged a number of times, only to win his job back with Union support. He became Chairman of the Grievance Committee of Local No. 58 of the United Packinghouse Workers of America, and was later a Business Agent representing Unions at several Armour Plants in his district. Armour was progressive for its time in hiring black employees and many names on the Beef Kill lines are black surnames in these grievance documents. It was even more progressive for a black man to assume a leadership roll for a workforce that was mainly white. Armstrong died in a car accident, and some Union members surmised the Company was behind his death!!!!! A color photo of Armstrong is found in folder BHF.313 in Black History Information File. A digital image of the Armour Beef Dressing Crew in the 1940's is BHF.777. Union Representatives of the Grievance Committee that brought these grievances were Charles Ingersoll & Robert Armstrong. Armour Foremen involved are Joe Bucher, Matt Herson, Howard Miller Armour Management involved are C. M. Stewart, R.M. Tascher,

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Memorandum

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Correspondence

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Other Documents

Nomenclature Class

Documentary Objects

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

LOC Thesaurus for Graphic Materials

Packing houses

Search Terms

United Packinghouse Workers of America, Local No. 58, Armour Packing Company, United Packinghouse Workers of America, Unions

Condition

Overall Condition

Poor

Maintenance

Maintenance History

Date

Jun 2, 2015

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Robert Armstrong

Person or Organization

Charles Ingersoll

Person or Organization

Joe Bucher

Person or Organization

F.D. Green

Person or Organization

Charles Hoaglin

Person or Organization

C. M. Stewart

Person or Organization

Roy M. Tascher

Person or Organization

Irwin M. Walton

Person or Organization

Matt Herson

Person or Organization

Howard Miller

Person or Organization

Dwinton Davidson

Person or Organization

Claud Middaugh

Person or Organization

Forest Nichols

Person or Organization

Dale Geeseman

Person or Organization

Marjorie Carter

Person or Organization

Landis Bigelow

Person or Organization

Weightman, Phil

Person or Organization

Earl Munn