New-York tribune., 1892-08-22


follow, If strike should occur in winter and
fail, that the organization would be seriously
crippled This view was confirmed by the re-
fusal Of the company tn recognize the Amalsa
mated Association in any future scale agree
ments Instead Of waiting for strike TO occur
and fail the company took the bull by the horns
by refusing 10 receive any of its old men int
ite employ again unless they foIeswOre allegiance
TO the association.
1--WE had not been prepared for SO radical a
move, and don't suppose it would have made
any difference if we had been. The only differ
ence would have been strike instead of a lock-
out. We regard it absolutely necessary to
preserve our organization, ard IL Is for that that
2 we are now contcnding. We would he willing to
return to work at the 1913 basis, with the scale
20 terminate on January l, but we are not, and
never will be willing to abandon the organization
that has done so much for us. We do not be-
iheve that Mr.. Frick was really serious when lie
proposed the termination of the scale on that
date, however. for he knew that it would meet
with the most strenuous opposition, and we are
convinced that he made the proposition solely for
the purpose OF causing strike Finding ue
slower to act than he anticipated he was forced
into locking us out to carry his point far as he
designed.
A majority of US believe that the present
management uf the company is one that seeks to
reduce wages to the very lowest possible notch.
1t is, of course, the policy Of the association 10
keep them at the highest point. Naturally, ii tho
company can break our organization, 1t can do as
it pleases with individuals.
The fluctuations in the quotations of steel
billets show what the company can do even
against our organization. The reduction 10 a
1923 minimum was brought about by the over pro-
ductiOn Of billets BY the company, thus creating
stagnation in the market and forcing prices down
20 an abnOrmaly low point The company con-
trolls the market: and can make such PRICES as 1t
pleases. The improved machinery lately intro
duced, however would offset this reduction OF
quotations by enabling the men TO increase their
tonnage with even q less amount Of labor than
heretofore, and at the minimum their earnings
would not be unsatisfactory.
=" In brief, fighting for the recognition OF
the right Of labor TO organize. The Carnegie
Company has signed scale with the Amalga-
mated Association at other points this year and
must do 50 at Homestead. That is really the only
contention We have to make just now.
WORKING OF THE SLIDING SCALE.
The sliding scale basis is determined by the
current price of steel billets. These blets are
produced very largely at the Homestead mills.
When the market price Of billets advances, the
wages of the who are paid by the ton
advance in proportion. There is no maximum
limit The sliding scale went into effect in June.
80. The minimum then $2650 per ton on
AKA Bessemer steel billets. The market price
was $27 at that time, and the sliding scale. at
it's adoption, brought about an increase Of wages.
The price of billets steadily during tie year,
and In January, 1890 it reached $36, which was
the basis of wages at that time. This gave the
men an increase of wages, since the adoption of
the scale, amounting to about 26 per cent
During 1890 there was 4 gradual decrease in the
price, until the lowest point yet reached, $25.75,
touched Prices were veiy firm duunc
1891, the lowest point being $25.25, and the
highest $26.50. BY agreement the scale had
- 40
that when bllets sold at less than S25 there
WAS no reduction in wages below that mark
although wages increased as the price of billets
advanced beyond the minimum. In January
1892 the quotation for billets was S25, exactly
the minimum. Then the price began 10 decline
gradually until it reached the lowest point on
record, in June, of S22.lO. IL was then that
the company insisted that the minimum should be
reduced to $?3. Since June the quotation. bavr
advanced beyond the fcrmcr minimum, owing
1t is said, to the cutting of of production AT
Homestead. The company claims that as the
men insist upon sharing the profits when billcts
command high price, they should be willing TO
accept reductions when the selling quotations
decline.
The men answer this by saving that tho COM
pany controls the market for billets, and that
by running the mills to their full capacity it
can food the market and force the price down
TO low notch. They claim that the convert
ing department of the mills at Homestead was
turned into billet mill in 1890 for the ex-
press purpose of over-producing billets and tbaa
the lower prices since then have been due to
over-production minimum, they say is neces-
sary to prevent their wages from being reduced
to an impoverishing extent. The company met
these views by agreeing to a 'S23 minimum
WAGES EARNED-sTATEMENTs OF THE MEN.
The tables of wages which follow this lrpor,
were complied from figures furnished by men
employed in the mills, and mainly by officers
Of the Amalgamated Association. While they are
from unofficial memoranda and from memory.
they doubtless fairly state the workers view
Of wages actually earned for the months named
May. june and July, however, are usually the
months when The Outp from the mills is greatest
and the wages under the sliding scale ther,-
fore, are higher than for otner months The
average Of Wages for the twelve moLths Of any
year included in the tables, except 1892, would
probably be somewhat lower than those given
for June. But in 1892 June wages were lower
than those of previous months the output being
smaller.
a resume Of the wages paid at the Homestead
mills shows that the average daily earnings OF
the $500 men is something over 81. As the
1900 labOrers and boys receive 81 40 a day. the
average Of the other 1920 men is proporiona,ely
greater. The number who receive about So 4
day in the tonnage departments is smaller than
that Of those who receive about So day. a ma
jority of the skilled worhmcn earn between 81 80
and 81 day. About $50 meR receive more
than 81 a day.
The common laborers are nearly all foreigners,
mainly Hungarians. The boys employed about
the works the sons of the skilled workmen,
and are generally Americans Their work ID in
the nature Of apprenticeship to ft them for the
positions now held by their fathers They are
learning how TO manufacture steel, while earning
wages equal 10 and III some cases in excess OF
these received by the common laborem vino have
families 10 support The skilled laborcrs are
nearly all American citizens while the lIungai-
ians are chiefly aliens who have not even signded
their intention of becoming haturalizcG. 1he