Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-27
WAGES ENDANGERED.
The Pittsburg Molders Are Threat
ened With Reduced Pay.
LOCAL LEADERS AFTER G0MPERS.
Delegates From Three Leading Cities Will
Again Oppose Him.
GENERAL NOTES OF THE LABOR WORLD

Pittsburg promises to be the center of
another long struggle between capital and
labor during the coming spring. The iron
molders in this city expect demand for a
reduction of wages and a modification of the
working rules, with the alternative of a
lockout. The molders in Pittsburg number
several hundred, divided among two or
three local unions They have for several
years had a scale which provides the wages
shall be S. per day, and the number of ap-
prentices to each shop is regulated.
They expect TO be asked to accept 10 per
cent less in wages, as well as to have much
larger number of apprentices Last fall the
manufacturers and the men had slight diff
ference in regard to the scale. The manu-
facturers desired to increase the number of
apprentices. The men were firm in their
refusal to accept the proposal. The busy
season had just begun and the employers
were compelled to yield. The foun-
dries all over the city are now
running to their full capacity.
This is especially true in the stove molding
establishments In numbers of cases the
orders come in on such shor. notice that the
work is hardly allowed TO grow cold in the
mold before it is shipped. This rush will
likely continue for some time, as the spring
trade will help along the business
After March there will be little to do and
the men then will be on the lookout for the
proposed reductions. The matter is being
discussed in the locals at present
and individual members who have been
seen by DISPATCH reporter say they are
taking advantage of prosperous time to
save money for long siege of idleness in
the late spring and summer months. They
say it will require hard fight before they
will accept reduction to 81 IS per day.
Strong and Conservative.
The Iron Molders National Union is one
of the strongest in the country and has
made for itself the record of being slow to
strike but when it does order the members
to quit work they are generally victorious.
Their general headquarters are in Cincin-
natl. The number of members in the ma
tional union is about $4,000, ranking as a
powerful organization with the carpenters,
mine workers and glass workers
To combat this organization it is under
stood that the manufacturers throughout
the country have united in a defense associ-
alton TO enforce their demands This asso-
citation is said to be divided into Eastern
and Western divisions. The men have be-
come somewhat nervous in regard to their
association. One of them said yesterday:
ut is mighty hard for labor to make
stand against the manufacturers under the
circumstances that will likely be presented
The employers will be united and business
is likely to be very dull. The employers
will get enough non-union men together in
one shop, and bv that means turn out nearly
all the work that will be absolutely neces-
sary.
No Non-Union Shops
AT present, however, we are very
strong in this vicinity. There is not |
a single non-union shop in this city. |
There was, until short time ago, one es-
tablishment in Allegheny where union men !
would not work. During the big rush in |
business the firm agreed to work under our |
scale. Upon the terms that he would dis |
charge one non-union man every week, we |
went to work, and now nearly every man in |
the place carries a card.
''No doubt we shall receive .he energetic |
support of the national union. We are not |
dissatisfied with our present wages, but we |
do not want a reduction. AT present MANY |
of us are earning more than So per day, as
in order to turn out the work quickly en-
ployers are paying by the piece, and man
may make from S3 to S4 per day.