Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-19
What is Really Meant by the Refusal
of Jones & LaughlinS' Puddlers
to Work Any Longer
UNDER TIE NEWLY SIGNED SCALE.
A Complete Close Down at the American
Iron Works Probably the Next
Step in the Trouble.
CLAUSES THAT ARE COMPLAINED Of
Possibility Of the National Tube Works Becoming 9
EOn-Union Establishment.

and Steel Workers is nearing crisis in its
history which it will require all the in
genuity and tact of its supporters to
weather. Widespread dissatisfaction is
current with regard to the settlement of the
scale after it had left the hands of the Wage
Committee and the convention, and so rad
ical have been the alterations in it, made by
the Conference Committee when dealing
with individual firms, that something ap-
proaching an organized revolt is on hand
among the rank and file of the Association
against working further under the terms of
the scale as it stands.
This statement is made with a que appre-
citation and depreciation of announcements
of sensational character, and the facts as
stated may be accepted as coming from a
quarter the reliability of which cannot be
questioned.
The dissatisfaction of the workers with the
settlement of the scale as it stands has found
expression in the strike of Jones & Laugh
Inns puddlers. They number 500 men, and
quit work at midnight on Thursday for the
following reasons:
WHY THEY QUIT WORK.
Clause of the boiling scale limits the
time for each heat as follows: For single
furnace, las; for a double furnace, 1:50,
ETC., and provides that the time shall be
reckoned from the time the door is dropped,
after charging, until the heat is ready to
draw, accidents and unavoidable detentions
not to be reckoned in.
Clause provides that where a ma
iority of the furnaces in any mill require
more than the time specified in Clause 2
to make their heats, due notice shall be
given; and if, after three days, the mixture
Is not changed, then 90 cents per ton extra
shall be paid for ali hard iron thereafter
made until the stock is changed. (By the
word majority" is meant a majority of
the furnaces working the same mixture of
iron.)
To make the position taken up by the
American Iron Works men plain, it must
be understood that the latter clause was
practically created by the Conference Com
mittee-acting, of course, on behalf of the
whole association-and was never assented
to, because never considered by the conven-
tion. The clause (No. 81 dealing with this
question of time, as reported from the con-
vention, reads: "Where it is shown that
five or more boiling furnaces in mill take
more time than specified in Clause to
make heat, so cents per ton extra shall be
paid for all such iron worked
CLAIMS OF THE PUDDLERs.
The en- claim that they cannot work the
quality of mixture given them by the firm
in 81 hours; that it takes some of them 9,
10 and IL hours to work the five heats that
others of them do in the allotted time; that
the reason for this is found in the ununi-
Iormity of the mixture, and that they are
unable to obtain redress for the extra time
owing to the clause in the scale watch pro-
vides that majority of the furnaces should
give notice thereof
1t is claimed by the puddlers that owing
to the hard character of the iron it takes all
Of the time allotted for the heat to work the
iron, without allowing any time for charg-
ing and drawing, and that in the five heats
they are obliged to work the additional time
without pay. The only question between
the firm and the men in this matter is on
the score of the quality of the iron. The |
firm maintains that it is uniform in quality, |
while the men are equally certain that it |
varies, some of it being easy to work |
while the rest is hard.
1t will thus be seen that the attitude as /
sumed by the puddlers is in consequence of !
the change in the scale regarding the ma |
jority of the furnaces, and on the score of |
the time for each heat under the circum- |
stances being insufficient thus practically !
causing them to work from one to three or |
four hours longer than they might, since in |
mill of over 80 furnaces it would be |
practically impossible to get majority on |
en- fol-o -
The firm points to the scale and says the |
men haven't a majority of furnaces behind |
them.
STATUS OF THE QUESTION.
The matter is thus a question between the |
puddlers and the executive of their associa- |
tion. 1t has passed through all the stages |
provided for in Article 10 of the |
constitution, and is now awaiting ac- |
ton at the hands of the executive. |
What this action will be it is hard to fore |
shadow. The men will no longer work |
under the scale as it stands, and it is diff |
cult to see how the Association can go back |
of its contract with the firm. President |
Weihe has already had the matter before |
him, but SO far, it is said, he has done moth |
ing. He was not IN town yesterday, so that |
no expression of opinion could be obtained |
from him.
The next phase Of the situation at the |
American Iron Works will be a complete |
close down of the establishment, as, it was |
yesterday said, all the other departments
would come out on Monday, in sympathy |
with the puddlers. This will involve a |
strike of some !, 400 men. 1t means, in other |
words, that the strongest single factor in the
Association, consisting of the seven Ameri-
can lodges, has concluded to join issue with
its executive.
It was ascertained also yesterday that the
late cessation of work at Painters mill was
not, as reported. due to the heat, but owing
to the same cause. The puddlers in the Re |
public Iron Works also protested against
the clause. In both cases a temporary set /
tlement has been effected by the firms chang
ing the mixture so as to afford time for de- |
eision on the points TO be arrived at. In |
short, as far as the puddlers are concerned, |
the dissatisfaction with terms of the scale, |
and it may be added the disafection conse- |
quent thereon, has reached point which |
threatens the integrity of the organization. |
NOT ALL YET TOLD.
And when all this has been said, the story |
is not vet told. A change made in clause 8 |
of the scrapping and busheling scale, after |
il had left the convention, has created addi- |
tional kicking. The price ior busheling
scrap and wrought iron turnings mixed on |
sand bottom, as reported from the conven-
tion, was TO be oDe-half the price paid for
boiling; or 50 75 The price fixed by the
Conference Committee was 81 80, or a re-
duction OF As cents. Coming to the guide
will scale, straight reduction of 30 cents
has been made on the prices OF steel hoops
made from one and three-quarter inch and