Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-31
IT WILL BE LIVELY.
PuddlerS Secure a Majority in the
Iron Workers Convention.
SOME WAGES MAY BE ADVANCED
But the Scale viii Not Likely be Changed
Very Materially.
LIVELY HINTS ON CAHPBEITS VALISE

The Wage Committee ofthe Amalgamated
Association will assemble this morning al
headquarters and consider the suggestions OF
the different lodges. This body will prepare
a scale that will be presented to the conven-
tion which will be held on Tuesday next at
New Turner Hall. There viii not be many
changes made in the scale, and the s. 30
rate for pudding will be agreed to, it is
said, although some Of the puddlers claim
they are poorly paid compared with the
other workmen. Some of them want an ad-
vance and will go to the convention this time
prepared for fight for $6 per ton.
The dissatisfaction among the roughers
and catchers during the past few months
has stirred up quite an interest in the mat
ter. This class OF workmen are members Of
the Amslgamated Association, but are not
eligible as delegates to the convention. They
have grievance and the puddlers have
agreed to stand by them. The election for
delegates was therefore very interesting. and
for the first time in many years the puddlers
will have good working majority in the
convention and will champion the cause of
the roughers and catchers. They want a
more equal division Of pay and from present
indications they will getit This, however,
will not affect the scale that the manufac-
turers will be asked to sign.
SOME ARE STOCKING UP.
interviewed by a representative of this
paper yesterday and all stated that the pro-
ceedings this year would be more secret
than ever before. They volunteered the in
formation, however, that but few changes
would be made in the present scale and
they believe that it will be signed as
promptly as it was last year.
Some of the firms are working their mills
to the fullest capacity and there Is no doubt
whatever but that they are stocking up and
preparing for shut down or strike. The
workers are in good shape financially and
believe that the strike, if one does occur,
will be of short duration, as some of the
leading firms are prepared and in fact are
compelled to sign any fair scale that is pre-
sented.
The iron scale will likely 90 through all
right, and the hitch, if there is any, will be
in the steel and rail departments. Only
few changes are contemplated in the iron
scale, and the base will remain as it has
been for years on the manufacturers bar
iron card. A few changes in the rules are
contemplated, but they will not seriously
affect the SCALE
The scale proposed by Andrew Carnegie
for his Homestead works will occupy most
of the time OF the Wage Committee. It will
undoubtedly have to be modified consider
ably before the workers will accept it. They
are willing, it is said, to allow the scale
agreed upon to run for two or three years.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
After the scale question is disposed of
the convention will take up the election of
officers. President Weihe has positively
declined to be a candidate for reelection.
Several names have been mentioned, but
none of the men named have announced
positively that they will run for the Office.
Yesterday the name of Reuben L. Martin,
of Mcknight Lodge No. %, roller in
Oliver Bros. & Phillips Fifteenth street
mill, stated that he had made a canvass of
the delegates and was confident that be
would secure the position. He is a high
priced man, and before he will accept the
Office the salary must be raised. 1t is said /
the convention will agree to increasing it
from 81 500 to 50, 500 per year.
There are a number of candidates for the
Office of Secretary, but Mr.. Martin has not
yet declared his intention of resigning. 1t
is understood that he will receive an ap-
pointment under the Government, and will
not accept reelection to his present posi-
tion