The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-05-31
WORKERS IN IRON. I
A LEGION Of LEAovED LABoRERs.

n IeSION VI keAAVeU LAbOhEHo
4 Brief aad couelss History Of the Amalgamats'
| ASsoeIAtloa of'lron and Steel work.u-Ths
| Rules 0o'sraIns Their S.rlAss-Ths
| Aain 0bjssta Of the Organization.
PITTSBURGH, May 30.-The nail manu-
facturers meet here tomorrow, but no new
developments In regard to the scale are ex
pected. There Is nothing otherwise new
in regard to the situation to report.
In view ef the great contest which set
in tomorrow, the following particulars ir
regard to the Amalganated Association O
iron and steel workers will be OF interest:
The Amalgamated Association Of Iron
and Steel Workers OF the United States
Is one OF the strongest labor bodies in the
world. Previous to 1874 there were two
organizations among tho iron and steel
workers. They were the United Sons Of
Vulcan, and tho Heaters, Rollers and
Roughers' Association. The Sons OF Vul.
can were tho stronger. 1t originated
during the great strike Of 1850; It was
then only local organization and gradu.
ally spread until 1t had considerable OF a
national footing, yet without any appar.
ent strength. These unions did not
accomplish tho ends for which
they were organized. In several
strikes they were defeated because
OF misunderstanding among themselves.
When the puddlers struck, the roughers
and catchers continued to work on muck
iron from outside furnaces, and couse.
quently defeated the puddlers. In 1874, ut
n meeting Of the pud6lers in Philadelphia,
committee was appointed TO confer with
the Heaters, Rollers and Roughers' Asso.
citation to effect an amalgamati0n. a plan
was agreed upon ut this conference and
submitted TO the annual National Conyen-
ton Of each organization, which met in
1915, and ratified the amalgamation, under
the title OF the Amalgama,ed Association
Of Iron and Steel Workers OF the United
States, and which includes nearly all skilled
iron and steel workers.
Th c association has divided the United
States and Canada into eight districts. The
first is located in the vicinity OF Pittsburgh,
including Mckeesport and Homestead,
IA. 1t has two subdivisions. The first
contains thir'y.one lodges. John NJ. Kelley,
OF Mckeesport, is chairman. The second
division contains twenty.eight lodges, with
K. II. Jones, Of Pittsburgh, chairman. Will,
a total membership OF $4,000. The second
district contains nineteen lodges, with
Edward Rodgers, OF Wheeling, chairman.
The third district is, sub.divided into two
divisions, and is the second largest in the
United States. The first division contains
eleven lodges, Charles Avery, OF Coving-
ton, ny, being chairman. The second
division has fourteen lodges. William
White, Of St. Clair, Ill, is Chairman, In
the fourth district they are twenty.threc
lodges, and 7. &. Summer. OF Joliet, ILL.,, is
chairman. The fifth district is no longer
IN existence. The sixth district contains
thirty.:seven lodges, Davis, OF Sharon,
"a, being the chairman. The seventh
district, which takes in Harrisburg, has
died out, the iron and steel workers in that
vicinity being non-union men. The eighth
district takes in Philadelphia, Allentown,
Pa.; Phillipsburg, ~; Coatesvillc, Pho.
nlxvllle, Pa. and Rome, N. Y. Andrew
Lee is chairman. 1t contains fifteen lodges,
In sections not strong enough to be called
districts there exist what are called "isola.
ted" lodges. There are thirteen lodges
OF this kind under the immediate iuris.
dlctlon OF the National President and
Board OF Trustees. These lodges arc scat
tered over the whole United States from
Portland, Me-, to Omaha. The total
membership is $4,000 and the actions OF
this body govern the affairs OF over 100000
people engaged in the various iron indus.
tries. Each district is governed by It's
District Conference. which meets annually.
The officers OF the National Association
are president, eight vice presidents, n
secretary. treasurer and three trustees.
The president and treasurer are the only
salaried officers The trustees are com.
PEELED to tile bond for 10000 each, and
the treasurer for $4,000. The president,
John J. jarrett. was formerly Pittsburgh
pudd!er. William Martin, general secre-
tary, is also Pittsburgh man. The trus-
tees are William Weike, Samuel Witknight,
Of Pittsburgh, and C. y. Thompson, OF
Wheeling, W. Va.
The law in reference to strikes is in sub
stance this THAT in the event of dis
agreement between employees and employ
er n committee must be appointed from
the shop or furnace TO wait upon the
the manager and present their grievances.
II he refuses to adjust the matter a meet
ing Of the lodge is called and committee
appointed to again present the matter TO
the manager. II this process falls the Vice
President and his deputies arc notified
and they proceed at once to the scene OF
contention and hear both sides OF the case,
II unable 10 adjust the matter satisfactorily
the Executive Committee Is convened and
their decision is final. II they legalize the
strike the association will sustain the s,rik-
ers. II they decide it illegal the men must
return to work, and il they refuse to do so,
ere cut OIL from the protection OF the asso-
citation. About ten days ago the men EN-.
ployed at Phillipsburg, n. j., took umbrace
at change OF pay day, and we're stirred up
blythe agisations Of an unscrpulous work
man, who circulated a petition, md
induced the men to strike. The Vice-pres-
ident Of the district. Andrew ! &c, was seut
for by the owner OF the mill, and, after
hearing the grievances OF both sides, found
that the men were in fault. He gave them
q severe reprimand, declared the strike
illegal, and the men returned 10
work on the following Monday.
The first, second and sixth districts are
the three strongest organizations, and are
worked on the Pittsburgh scale. The other
districts arc run on the PRICE received in
the Philadelphia district. In the latter
place the relations between men and en-
p!oyers are pleasant, The prices are req.
ulated by a sliding soale-lhat is, the wages
are governed by the market prices OF iron.
In the event OF dissatisfaction on either
side due notice is to be given and com.
mittec appointed to arbitrate. In Pitts
burGh the prices are fixed annually at the
May district conference and signed bv the
manufacturers on the LIST day OF June.
Should the operatives refuse 10
sign the scale presented by the
association at Pittsburgh, Pa., over thirty
thousand men % nnt ,rhia ;a Az Il.