The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-07-08
WHAT MR.. FRICR SAYS.
He Tells About the Trouble Between Work.
men and His Company.

He Tells About the Trouble Between Work.
men and His Company.
PIrTsBUBG, July I'm an interview this af-
ternoon H. c. Frick. chairman Of the Carnegie
Steel Company Limited, said;
THE question at issue is q very grave one.
IL is whether the Carnegie Company or
the Amalgamated Association shall have
absolute control of our plant. We have
decided. after numerous truitless conferences
with the Amalgamated officials IN the attempt
90 emicably adjust the existing difficulties,
g. operate the plant ourselves. / can say
with tho greatest emphasis that under no
circumstances will ne have any further deal
ings with the Amalgamated Association as an
organization"
What was the basis Of the differences
existing at present between the Carnegie
Company and their men. Mr.. Frick: Z"
There were three points upon which we
differed. The skilled workmen In the
Amalgamated Association work under what
IA known as sliding scale. As the price
of steel advances the earnings Of the men
advance: as the prices fall their earn
ings decrease in proportion. While there
is no limit to an advance of earnings
on the scale there Is a point at
which the decline stops. Ii is known as the
minimum. and the figure heretofore mas been
twenty-five dollars per ton for four by four
Bessemer billet. We believe that If earnings
Uhsed on lhe stiIluE lflco OF sJeel, can
advance without limit the wOrknen
should be willing 10 follow the selling
price down TO a reasonable minimum, and
this figure was finally fixed by the Carne-
gle Company at the rate of S2S instead of
rl5 The reason for asking this upon our
part was that the Carnegie Company has spelrt
largo sums OF money In the introduction or
new machinery in its Homestead plant, by
means of which the workmen were enabled
% increase the daily Onput thereby iacreas-
ing tho amount of their own earnings. We
had originally asked a reduction Of S22, but
subsequently agreed 70 compromise at the
rate of SOS The Amalgamated Association
was unwilling 10 consider reduction below SZ4
on steel bllletS, Notwithstanding the
fact that the improved machinery would en-
able their members even at c23. 10 earn more
than is paid in other Amalgamated mills.
This was the first point at issue Under the
the present Amagamated system the
date of the expiration Of the slid
ing scale is June 3Oth annually.
We asked that this date be changed
10 December 3lst the same as the Edgar IhOm-
son Works for the reason that the change
would permit Us 70 take our estimate upon
the wages that we must pay during the
year. beginning on January lst. so that
we would be enabled % make contracts FOR
the wear accordingly. This point the Anal
pamated Association refused TO accede and
demanded the old date. The third proposi-
ton was the reduction In TONNAGE rsles III
those departments in the mills where the I'M
pr0yemeuts have spoken Of have been made,
aud which enable the workingmen to increase
the output and consequently their earnings
Where no such improvements bad been made
there was 40 request upon our part for re-
duction in tonnage rates. In other words,
We asked no reduction in any depart
ment at which the output had not been
greatly increased by reason of our expensive
improvements since the scale Of 1889 went
mo elect. We are prepared 10 snow
that Ia nearly every department under
our proposed reduction in the tonnage
rates the skilled workmen would make
more money than they aid when the scale OF
1889 went into effect. As rule the men who
we're making the largest wages IN tho Home.
stead mill were tie ones who most
bitterly denounced the proposed re-
vision Of the scale for out of tho
$500 men employed in every department
only 325 were directly Affected by this re-
duotiOn. Finding that it was impossible TO
afrive at any agreement with the Amalga-
mated officials we decided to close our works
~ Homestead"