Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-18
DISCUSSING A SCALE.
Manufacturers and Men Review the
Wage Question Together.
THE WORKERS NOT PERSUADED
To Accept the Terms offered by Their
Present Employers
CONFERENCE on SHEET AND TIN PLATE

Yesterday morning, as usual. the dele.
gates to the convention of the Amalgamated
| Association met in Forbes street Turner
| Hail. The first hour was devoted to re-
viewing the business transacted at previous
sessions. AT IL o'clock the committee
representing. the Pittsburg iron and steel
manufacturers visited the hall and addressed
the delegates, advising them to accept the
reduction in the scale.
Mr.. D. b Oliver spoke first. He was
followed by Henry Laughlin. B. Zug, A. E.
w. Painter, j. W. Friend and James Nc
Cutcheon. The members of the convention
listened at.entively to all of the arguments
presented, but none of the Amalgamated
Associations officials replied. It was nearly
o'clock before the convention was closed
for recess the manufacturer having taken
the best part of three hour to explain why
the proposed changes in the scale should be
accepted. -
1t was plainly evident that the delegates
did not take kindly to the expressions of the
manufacturers, and there is no doubt that
the changes asked fer by the employers will
not be approved by the delegates. While
the meeting in the Magee building was in
progress the remaining delegates of the
Amalgamated Association met and held
their regular afternoon session in the Forbes
Street Hall
Discussing tho Manufac cturers' Scale.
Most of the time was devoted to discussing
the scale of the manufacturers, reviewing the
q 70 cd of
instructions which the Wage Com
mittee Us to follow in the future.
This q horning the convention will
until this evening. 1t is expected that some
definite action will be taken before the day
is over and an effort made to have the man
ufacturers review the stand they have
taken, The same obstinate feeling that
exists among the delegates also prevails
ing the employers Of Carnegie, Phipps &
Co, limited. The latter firm have promul-
gated new scale governing the wages of
their workmen.
This new scale which goes into effect
] uly is of the sliding order based on bill
lets at S26 80 per ton, the same as the one
now in force, but upon close examination
there are q number of reductions to be
4 found averaging from 16 to 40 per cent.
| scale, and say positively that they never
| will accept it. The national convention of
the association will pass upon the scale next
| week. Although it is slated for rejection
it is probable a conference will be sought
with the firm. As for the firm they have
given the association until June "a to ac-
cept After that date it will be too late to
think favorably Of it, and all old employees
who may sign will be required to do so, not
as members of the association, but as indi-
yiduals.
VIII Work Until tho Last Moment
Whether the scale is signed or not, how
ever, the workmen will continue in the
performance of their duties until midnight
OF June 80.
An open meeting for all the 5000 work
ers in the mills and the public will be held
tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock at Hnme-
stead. The national officers of the Anal
gamated Association and delegates to the
annual convention now in session in this
city will be present. Among other things
there will be discussed the reported policy
of the management of the steel works in
which private offers are said to have been
made to certain skilled workers.
That a conflict is probable was settled yes
terday when General Manager Potter, of
Carnegie, Phipps & Co., limited, declared
positively, eff the men do not sign the COM
pany's scale by the oath instant the Home
stead Steel Works will never operate as q
union mill again" This declaration was
made to two members of the Amalgamated
who had been called into the Office and
offered a large salary to remain at their
work regardless of the Amalgamated Asso-
citation. Special inducements were made in
the wav of foremanships and rapid promo
tion, but the offers were promptly declined,
which declination brought ont the above
statement from the General Manager.
The business men of Homestead are
showing a lively interest in the daily de-
velopments Until the past week they had
expected an amicable settlement, but are
now convinced that such will never be at.
tanned They now show disposition to
aid the workmen by all means in their
power. Some few hope for q compromise
convention meets the representatives of the
company, but these hopes are growing
scarcer every day.
Figuring on q Workers Wages.
The following letter written by Mr.. F. E.
Richardson, Secretary of the Pittsburg
Forge and Iron Company, was received last
evening:
PITTsBuRa, PA June II.
To the Editor Of The Dispatch:
DEAR SIR-In an interview Published in
this mornings issue OF your paper, Mr.. Ed
ward A. Keil, Treasurer of tho Amalgamated
Association, is quoted as saying that under
the scale of wages proposed by the iron m,tn-
ufactureis' to take effect July l. 1892, his
wages will be cut down to - 80 per day.
have taken the trouble to look over
the books of the Pittsburg Forge
and Iron Company, whore Mr.. Keil is
employed, and find that from January to
April 90 of the present year the average
6yynf nf ia n nrnQ IN " a. foD no
turn, for which he received 20 cents per ton
or ss SO per turn or day. The same average
product at the rate of wages proposed in the
manufacturers scale would give Mr.. Keil
the sum of IS 95 per day instead of 81 50 as
stated by him in the interview.
While 1 am averse TO n discussion in the
newspapers of the points of difference be-
tween the manufacturers and the workmen,
l deem it necessary that all misleading
statements coming like this from q responsi.
BILE source should be corrected. Respect
fully, r. E. RICHARDSON.
ATT.NIEuT QESQTnH