Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-13

for sliding scale system, the
rates when agreed to to obtain
for six months, and average selling price to
| be basis for wages of next six months The
standard by bil!ets to be basis of price;
committee of three from men and firm to
| agree on price. In case of disagreement a
seventh man to be called in to decide. Day
laborers to be paid what they received
| prior to 1889. Engineers, travelling crane
| men, pump men, gas tenders, etc, have
| their wages agreed upon, copy to be
furnished to each party.
Oates-Now explain the sliding scale in a
practical way aud explain how it works.
A. This scale was based on billets at
S26 80 per ton.
Question of Understanding.
Oates-Do understand YOU to say labor
ers were paid on that basis?
Taylor-You don't seem to understand,
Mr. Oates.
Oates-But that is what want to under
stand
A. Suppose the rate dropped to so5 so,
the reduction of man receiving $3.50 per
month would be little over per cent.
A discussion followed here. The COM
mittee couldn't understand the sliding scale
and the selling price of blooms as the basis.
Oates-What scale was proposed by your
company to the men that they rejected? ?
A. would like to say that in last Janu-
ary took up the question with the Anal
gamated Association to arrange for a new
scale, to take the place Of the one expiring
in June They declined to take it up until
March. Then the association presented a
scale covering almost all the departments at
Homestead, calling in nearly all instances
for an advance in wages We had several
conferences with them up until May 30,
coming to no agreement We made scale
covering four departments as follows:
Open hearth No. 1 and 2, 119-inch plate
J mill and 32-inch slabbing mill. They en-
brace 1926 men out of {, 800 men employed
We proposed in the new scale that the
minimum price for blllets should be 500,
and that termination of scale should be at
end of year instead of in the middle of
the year.
Then Mr.. Frick gave letter written to
Superintendent Potter by him stating the
company's position on wages, and giving
men from May 80 to June "a to reply.
Comparison of Selling Prices.
Frick-I would like to give comparison
of selling prices between July, 1889 and
1892, to show reductions in rates. Nails in
1889 sold for 50 20 base per keg, against
81 80 base per keg now; f1ange steel plates
have gone down from 2a4 cents per pound to
2L cents; universal mill iron from 1-10
cents to 7-10 cents; beams and channels
from 1-10 cents per pound to 9-10; steel
billets from S27 80 per ton to 500 70 and $23
per ton. 1t was because of these reductions in
price for material that we asked for reduc-
tion in wages.
Oates-How do you account for the ten
dency downward?
A. production-demand not keep
ing up with the supply. I would like to
give here reductions in tariff under the old
and new law. Billets in the Mckinley
bill were reduced from 6. 10 to 4. 10 cents per
pound; steel ingots from 610 to 4 10; pig
metal, no change: rails from $40 to 610;
wire nails from cents to cents; splice
bars from ~ to 1 cent; round iron from
l 2-10 to 1 lilo; bar iron, l $40 to s. 10; wire
from Il cents to u cents
Foreign Competition in Beams.
Boatner-Do you have foreign competi-
tion?
Bynum-Give the labor cost of o ton of
steel billets.
A. can't now. will do it tomorrow
Bynum-Do you know the difference in
labor cost between Europe and America?
A. Can't answer now.
Bynum-Is it So so of difference?
A. don't know.
Oates-There has been big increase in
American production. Do you think the
tariff is responsible for your reductions in
wages?
A. No, sir.
Oates-What response did the workmen
make to your proposition?
A. In June letter was received from
Mr.. Weihe stating that the association
would be glad to meet with us. This was
the first we heard from them after the scale
was presented May 80 A committee of 25
with Mr.. Weihe called on us June % We
then discussed the proposed change
in the minimum price of biilets They
could not agree to accept lower than
S25. I replied that there was no maximum
and as we increased wages as prices went
up, they should reduce wages as rates de-
clined. Then we discussed the termination
of scale. We wanted it changed from June
80 to December 80, to give us a chance to
make calculations of material needed dur
ing the year Then We make fire-proof
material for buildings We are busiest in
July and August and
Can't Afford TO Stop
at that time to discuss wages We repair
when business is slack, and it is dullest in
the winter months. We then discussed the
wages that some of the men received. 1
suggested that the committee should be re-
duced in size SO We could come closer to-
gether. Mr.. Weihe favored this, but the
others refused. / then retired, and Mr..
Weihe after an hour called me in. They