Chicago Shochet Union Strikes Against Rabbinical Ban in “chicken Racket”

Retaliating on the ban on kosher poultry which has been placed by the Orthodox rabbinate, the leaders of the shochtim have declared a strike.

The rabbis declare that the ban holds good until the shochtim will again be willing to put themselves under the rule of the rabbinical council, as the Mosaic law prescribes. The shochtim retort that they will continue to strike until the killing of kosher poultry in Chicago will be completely divorced from rabbinical control.

The rabbis assert that 350,000 Orthodox Chicago Jews back their edict and will not violate it. Only poultry that was killed before noon yesterday is now available, and when the supply is exhausted, Orthodox Jews will be without kosher poultry for the first time in the city’s history.

The rabbinical decree makes the lifting of the ban dependent upon the suspension of six officers of the shochtim union and return of control to the rabbinical council. This action followed an alleged reign of terror in which slugging, ruining of poultry and bombing of butcher shops is said to have been instigated by union officers who kept the six officials in power against the will of the members. Many shochtim have appealed to members of the rabbinical council for protection, the rabbis said, asserting that wages were being confiscated as union dues and that officials must be paid for choice jobs. Some shochtim, it is said, through favoritism earn from $100 to $250 weekly, while others are fortunate in getting $25 weekly, after paying $300 to enter the union.

The rabbis declare that union members have flooded them with thanks and offers of support in this fight, while union officials report that the union members are unanimous in ordering the strike.