Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-04
A DARK LABOR CLOUD.
The Carnegies Give Their Ultimatum
to Homestead Employees,
MEANING AREDUCED WAGE SCALE.
Their Works Protected From Violence by
= a New High Board Wall.
THE MEN PREPARING FOR A STRUGGLE

ESPECIAL TELKoRAM TO THE DIsPArcH.1
HOMESTEAD, June 3.-Developments
now indicate that Homestead will be the
scene of great conflict between capital and
labor. The Carnegie Steel Company stands
on the one side and over 1000 workingmen
under the protection of the Amalgamated
Association on the other.
The scale of wages which has been in
force three years expires on June 30. In
1SS9,when this scale was signed, there was
short but very lively fight, which ended by
Sheriff McCandless acting as mediatos and
bringing representatives of the two sides
together after all negotiations had been
dropped. At that time it was the avowed
intention of the Carnegies to run the mill
non-union, but this year their tactics have
been very different.
Early in January, Manager j. A Potter
sent for the various committees and in
formed them that the company desired no
shutdown this summer, and in order to
avoid it desired to discuss the next scale
before the Amalgamated convention met.
Why the Firm Hurried Matters
They desired to so arrange matters that
usual shutdown of July /. This desire
arose, of course, from the heavy contracts
on hand from the Government for armor
plate, besides other orders. The manage
ment said, though, this conference was only
to apply to four departments-thea armor
plate mill, the 119-plate mill and the two
open-hearth departments
In the other mills changes in machinery
are under way or in contemplation which
render it impossible to draw up scale at
present which would apply to the same de-
partments in few months.
The company's proposition was accepted
by the men. who presented copy of the
scale which was sent to the National Con-
vention of the Amalgamated Association.
The men asked for the same wages which
they have been receiving with a few ex-
ceptions where they asked for an increase
The Carnegie firm met this scale with
scale of their own making, which demanded
wholesale reductions, which, of course
were unfavorably received
The Men Receive the Ultimatum.
Conference after conference was held,
with no conclusion. The men contended
that they could not work for less than pres
ent wages, while the management declared
that on account of improved machinery and
increased product, the price per ton for
labor must be reduced.
Matters remained in this unsettled state
until to-day. when a committee from each
of the four departments above referred to
were called into the Office and presented with
a printed copy of the scale, which Manager
Potter announced was the ultimatum of the
firm, and that no debate on the subject was
desired; also, that this scale must be signed
before June "a. This stopped all negotia-
tions between the opposing parties, and the
convention will take the
matter up. One of the most skilled work.
men in the mills and one of the labor leaders
of this district, in speaking of the ulti-
matum of the Carnegie firm, said this even
ing:
The Situation From the Labor Standpoint.
The proposed scale, as handed us by the