Meatpackers at Morrell Ratify Pact, End Strike

Workers at the John Morrell & Co. meatpacking plant ratified a three-year contract Wednesday that ends an 81-day strike by 2,700 workers. The pact provides an immediate base wage of $9 an hour, with 25-cent increments to push the base wage to $9.75 when the contract expires in 1988, company officials said.