European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 29, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday january 20, 1886 the stars and stripes Page 7 Hormel fires Union meat packers in 3 states Austin Minn. A Hormel fired hundreds of Union meal packers monday in Texas Nebraska and Iowa for refusing of Cross picket lines Sel up by workers who have been on strike against he company s flagship Plant Lor More than five months. We have contracts in place at those plants and we expert our people to Honor those contracts Laid Chuck Nyburg the senior vice president of ceo. A. Hormel & co., which is based in Austin the president of the Union local in Austin said the firings increased the stakes in the dispute which began in August when 1,500 workers went on strike Over wages another issues. The fact that the company has fired those people puts us in a position to bargain said Jim Guy Etc the presi Dent of local p-9 at the United food and commercial workers Union. Union spokesman at Zack said the International Union has not yet determined How Many workers were fired. But the number could be As High is 650. We already have applications on file and we arc Mart ing to interview people who want to work in Hose plants Nyberg said. Hormel president Richard a Knowlton said the company would suspend hiring Urlile Midnight tuesday if the Union would cease Alt its. Strike  in Austin the Hormel Plant was open monday but pickets walked outside and National guardsmen continued to patrol against violence. The Austin Plant has been the scene of a hostile confrontation since it reopened Jan. 13. Eight Hundred National guardsmen were sent in after the company began hiring replacement workers a week later and local authorities said they could no longer control the situation. The Union also called for a National Boycott of Hormel products. It said 500,000 letters would go to unions nation wide this week seeking support for he Boycott of spam Bacon and other Hormel products. Local p-9 s Parent Union did not Sanction the Boycott or pickets at other Hormel plants said Zack. The strike began aug. 17 after Hormel Cut wages by 23 percent and dropped the base wage from si0.69 to s8.2s an hour. Harmol said the move was needed to remain competitive. Union workers Al other Hormel plants accepted the concessions and now ear Oslo an hour. Local p-9 members fought the Cut and because of an arbitrator s ruling were making $9.25 an hour before the strike. The mediator s proposal would provide a base rate of 110 an hour a the Austin Plant. Air id of soil avera9e lowest in 18 years . Some Union pacts netting lower pay tickets for $99 Houston up Continental air lines announced on monday that it will re Duce Iti one Way coach fare from Houston to London to $99 for the first 99 seats sold on each of  daily flights from feb. 1 through March 16. The regular excursion fare is $124. February and March Are normally a Stow Lime for London travel so we decided to liven things up a  said Jim o con net Continental s marketing services vice president. The j99 fare available on non refundable round trip purchases made it the Lime of reservation and travel must be completed by March 16. Al least 4,400 seats each Way will be available at the special fare. Lower than Ever by combining Continental s Winter Sale fares with the special �99 fare passengers from other cities