Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-01
Labor Leaders Say Arbitration Has
Taken the Place of Hasty Action
in Settling Disputes.
HOW TROUBLE HAS BEEN AvERTED.
The Annual Joint Conferences of the Coal
Operators and Miners the Outcome
of an Experiment.
ONLY 12 PLATES OF STEEL STAMPED.
Doings Of Labor and Industrial Circles Told in Short
and Pithy Paragraphs.

The settlement of the strike at the Ma
tional Tube Works, at McKeesport, yester-
day, and threatened trouble in other trades,
has opened up a discussion as to the rela-
tive merits of arbitration as a means of
settling disputes between capital and labor.
The attitude of THE DISPATCH in regard
to this matter was fully discussed and ap-
proved by quite a number OF labor leaders,
who have had personal experiences in arbi-
trating disputes. John Flannery, of the
Trades Journal and ex-Secretary of the
Miners Union, is a firm advocate of arbi-
trstion, on account, probably, of serving as
an arbitrator on more than oDe occasion.
When asked if he found it good way to
settle disputes, be said:
Arbitration was first tried in this city
in 1888, when there was considerable fric-
tion between the coal operators and miners.
1t was first tried as an experiment and the
first committee disagreed. was Secretary
of the Miners Association at the time and
after had recovered from q three weeks
attack of illness sent
CHALLENGE TO THE OPERATORS
to meet the miners committee and form
board Of arbitration under the voluntary
trade tribunal act, which had at that time
just become law. The prospects were that
big strike would be inaugurated, and as
the miners had everything to lose, thought
somethin G must be done quickly. Public
opinion was with Us and after considerable
difficulty the operators met us. John r.
McCune, the well-known banker, who is
hood T,,J-
Collier fixed up the documents so that the
deliberations of the board would be binding.
After considerable discussion, Umpire Nc
Cune awarded the miners 25 cents more than
they were getting, having split the demand
for an advance of so cents. The miners
went to work, and things ran along smoothly
for two years, when trouble occurred again.
This time Joseph d. Weeks was the umpire
and rendered good decision in favor of the
miners. The latter refused to accept the
umpire's award and went on strike.
SORRY FOR NOT ACCEPTING IT.
'In short time they were sorry for not &C
cepting the terms of the arbitrator and had
to return to work at the terms OF the opera
tors. We now settle our differences by
AO4O4AS JOAuk COulSE6uC6 CECIL year, WHICH
is the same as arbitration. The joint con-
ference is the outcome of the arbitration
boards proceedings, and from small be-
ginning in the Pittsburg district, the idea of
holding joint conference has extended into
and covers four States. When anyone tells
me that arbitration is not a success pity |
him, and think he has not read much. In |
other trades arbitration has not been given |
fair trial. and if it was people would know
more about il.
Master Workman j. L. Evans said: ~
have always been in favor of arbitration,
ard we gave it good show in the street-car
differences in 1886. The men were working
IL hours per day and asked for II. Ex-
Chief Justice Agnew was the umpire and |
the board was composed of five men, who |
awarded the employees the 12-hour day. |
Another case 1 call to mind was the trouble |
at the Pittsburg Tube Works about three |
years ago, which Eccles Robinson and two |
others settled satisfactorily to the men,"
STRIKES WOULD BE UNKNOWN.
Ex-Master Workman l. n. Ross said:
81 have seen arbitration worked and it has
always been a success. The last case had |
was at Shoenberger's mill about a year ago,
when I settled a trouble after arbitrating it |
for whole afternoon. 1 think it is the |
proper way to settle all disputes and if it |
was practiced strikes would be unknown. |
A great many employers will say they have /
nothing to arbitrate, but if there is any |
difference of opinion between employees and |
employer it should be settled in this way"
The officials of the National Tube Works (
are greatly in favor of arbitration. At the
recent strike of the unorganized men for q
10 per cent increase few months ago the |
trouble was amicably adjusted by the arbi-
tration hoard