Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-01
MAY NOT HAVE LIGHT.
The Allegheny County Light Company
Refuses All Concessions.
ORGANIZED LABOR CONCERNED.
Mr.. J. D. Weeks Refers to the Condition Of
the Steel Market
AND TAKES A CONSERVATIVE VIEW

The Allegheny County Light Company
has practically elected to test its strength
against that of the united labor organiza-
tions and its supporters, in this city and the
county.
The joint committees Of the Electrical
Union and united labor organizations, rep
resenting a numerical strength OF about
30, 900 men in the county, furnished the
company for its consideration an
agreement which purported to reg
uIate the conditions under which em-
ployes of the company should con-
tinue in their work. The agreement
included that the men should be sober and
steady; that if any of the men should be dis
charged for incompetency, etc., that the
charges should be investigated; that the
wages in force should be paid for a certain
period, and that all the old workers for the
company should be re-employed, except
those who had given just cause for their dis
charge.
In reply to the request for an answer to
the above suggestions for settlement, in sub
stance the following reply was sent to the
committees "That the company claims, un-
der certain obligations to the public, the
right to choose its men; that the present
men are satisfactory to the company, and
that no reason exists why those men who
voluntarily lett the employment OF the COM
pany should be shown favor.
NO FAVOR SHOWN.
"And that so long as the men perform the
duties assigned them to the satisfaction of
the company, no discrimination will be
made against them for belonging to or not
belonging to an organization, and that al
though there is no question of wages in
volved, the men will always be dealt with
as heretofore--as iavorably as men engaged
in like pursuits in other places"
General Manager Blaxter said, when
called upon, that the company's reply fully
outlined its position. He took the stand
that the company was acting in the in
terests of its own contracts and its CONNER
cial subscribers, and he added that he did
not expect any trouble.
The Electrical Union met last evening
and considered the company's reply. The
view taken by the workers is that the COM
pany means to assert its strength in the
direction of choosing non-union or union
labor, at its discretion. The result of .
heightened debate on the question was that
the strike would be made general, that all
the employees of the company would be
CALLED OUT TO-DAY
and that bitter warfare would commence.
John D. O'Shea said: "In this matter the
Allegheny County Light Company is not
solely antagonizing the Electrical Union,
comprising membership of about 200
men, but the whole body of organized labor
in this city and county. A very conserva-
tive estimate of the members of organized
workers in this county places the number at
$4,000.
One of the remarkable features of this
difficulty is that the company, at the in
stance of a Southside Councilman, should
continue to pay wages to one of its foremen
a ter he had been discharged by it. The
foreman referred to, Robert Daley, states
that he made no application for his wages,
but he finds his envelope at his residence,
on the Hill, every Saturday evening, just
the same. In this connection, it is stated
on very good authority, that the company
is laying pipe to obtain the sole right to
supply light to this city, and, of course, to
the detriment of another company, which is
desirous of obtaining equal rights.