New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-27
IRON AND STEEL WORKERS.
THE WAGE SCALE FIXED IN PrTTsBURG.
PROSPECTS OF A QUIET AND Prosperous YEAR
AT THE FURNACES AND MIIIa

AT THE FURNACES AND MILLS.
Pttsburg juno &c (spcclaD.-The annual settle
ment Of the iron and steel workers WACO scale 10 q
very important event In Pittsburg and in q scoro Of
towns within radius OF 200 miles, including such
largely populated communities Wheeling. W. Va.
and youngstown, Ohio. A couple OF hundred thou
sand people directly interested, and this army
simply includes The steel workers aud their families
This years scale does not contain tho tme-honored
agreement empowering manufacturers 10 arrange
forms with their employees direct for making
specialt!es, so that firms contemplating plate and
steol shapes may have trouble. Some manufac urers
may not sign the scale until repairs or taking Of
stock is completed, which work begins July 1, the
ironworkers In the meantfms remaining idle
The annual convention Of the Amalgamated Asso-
citation Of Iron and steel Workers Is held IN June
this year II adjourned finally Friday night Last
usually at Pittsburg, and at this gathering the WACO
scale for the year beginning July Is decided upon.
copy will be handed each manufacturer for his
signature BY Se anil Committee and the signature
must be appended 10 10 the OF July /.
strike will be inaugurated the next day.
This year no trouble is anticipated. Tho scale IS
virtually tho same as last years No advances have
been asked and in Some departments concessions have
been made. An Increased demand for pig iron indi-
Gates that the blast furnaces 10 DO kept in opera
ton, and activity in tho finishing departments
naturally results. Then dozen big firms. ncud.
=
e1-charman OF the Republican National Committee,
is the senior partner have announced that they will
sign the scale without any hesltnncy. A few mills
may delay signing and at these strike will occur.
but tho graf body OF and steel workers will be
employed and even those who will enjoy enforced
dleness Will do for few weeks only, and It IS
In tho heated term, the temporary loss will be
looked
In fact there Is q certainty Of strike only, and
that at the Homestead mills OF Carnegie, Phipps
Co., where several hundred men employed. ZIP
20 the present time these mills have bocn governed
By tho annual WACO scale OF the Analgamateh Asso-
citation. Now the men AFRO asked TO sign Q sliding
scalo which shall remain In force for three years
from July I. II advances the wages Of laborcrs
about 10 per cent, but makes an average reduction
Of 60 per cent all skilled labor. ny tho aid OF
Improved and costly machinery Of these
/" laborer" arc making from 5000 to $4,000 q year.
some earning bigger salaries than q Congress
man, ye. they must OF necessity to work n greasy
clothing. flannel shirt, leather belt around their
waists. check sklcap and hob nailed shoes
Apropos II is a matter OF fact that head roller
In Piusburg irvn mill makes $50 q day and hts
family rides about behind pair OF spanking horses
with coiored goodman at tho reins. This man
rides and from work In carriage.
Tho Amdeamated Association has decided that It's
members cannot accept TIE drrnatum Of Mr. Car
negio, and his managing partners will positively not
recodo from their positions. They cannot afford 10
do 10. II, as they Claim. they already paying
much, ard In somo speciatss moro. than their
peiutors. for they do not come into competition with
the g~at bulk OF tho mills governed by the Anal
gamated scal-.
Tho high priced employees Of the Homestead mills
must, Therefore. either surrender their jots
on July /, be branded black sheep" by
the AmalEanated. II they Join tho strihnrs and
the latter lose the struggle, Il will not be easy
Att IN Ind nr al IN
Many Of these men would gladly remain at the
reduction which Sun Insurrs them Handsome" income
but they do not relish tho prospect OF being IccTd
and taunte.l by former companions who will suffer
financial loss 10 attest their icalty 10 tho union.
so a bitter struggle may DO expected, with the
chances against tho strikers.
This IS the lrst year since tho organization OF tho
Amalg,matcd Association tlat hero has been no
general conference between tho Wage Committee OF
the AmsgSmatcd Association and similar comIntco
representing III" iron manufacturers The latter have
no organization The strike OF tho summer OF 1888
killed the western Irun Assocation Tho association
l. gan tho struggle with The uHauimous desolyo tha,
there would be no surrender but the resolution haa
scarcely passed when big ntm Surrondorrd, ana
from R:, nA Of G 1ss m SO Of a aTa
resigned In disgust aud tho association dlsbandod.
20 this year each firm viii confer With It's mil
man In either President William Wche or Secretary
There viii DO no moro squabbles with tho Knights
Of Labor for ia Iron and steel Trade District As
,crhIy has collapsed. and the AmalRAmatod has an
uudis Iuiod title 10 It's territory. Other innovations
man the admission ~ unshlN vorkmrn wcre decided
upuu hy the AmalganaiCI ai last weeks convention
The A. ciaion crIdcd upon III" permanent employ
Inent OF hrs-clAss attnrncy-at.law, whose advice
Will be sought In labor disputes. Trouble resulting
from recent conspiracy suits suggested this new
departure Tho nut and bolt makers were admitted
ia the organization, and next year a nut and bolt
maherS' wage scale Will be presented 70 tho manu-
farturrrs II also resolved 10 contribute 10 The
gcera strike fund OF the Federation Of Labor. and
rpcmhcrs 81 tho Amslgamatod VIII soon contribute
lhcr ir-f moneys 10 sustain strikers In other trades
than thcr own.