Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-06

Iron and Steel Manufacturers May Breal
With the Amalgamated.

Iron and Steel Manufacturers May Break
With the Amalgamated.
David B. Oliver of Pittsburg, discussing the
proposition of the manufacturers submitted to
the Amalgamated Association to arbitrate the
wage scale differences, yesterday, said: st am
convinced that unless the Amalgamated Asso-
citation makes a radical change in its methods
the manufacturers of Pittsburg will be obliged
to free themselves completely from its control,
and that very soon. Year by year matters have
drifted into a condition that brings about a
total stoppage of business for from four to six
weeks each recurring scale-signing period. THIS
stoppage is accompanied by no end of conten-
ton and disputation between the management
and the workmen's committees. In my case /
have eight separate scales TO arrange for this
year, and. positively, the labor and vexatious
worry of this work, which covers a period Of
about two months time, is greater with the
committees than from my regular business
during the other ten months of the year.
Mr. Oliver then described the usual pro-
cedure of the Amalgamated Association. in pre-
pairing the scale, which is finally submitted to
the manufacturers by a committee, usually
without power to make any changes, however
desirable important they may seem.
Continuing, he said "With our works stopped
and our non-union competitors here and all
over the country in operation, this is a very
unbusiness like management and must be
changed. In the case Of structural material
these stoppages and this uncertainty are simply
ruinous. The manufacturer can make no con-
tract with justice to himself or to his customer
with the knowledge that possibly his prices for
labor will be jumped up on him or his works
stopped if ne fail to agree to all the items of the
scale that will be presented to him in July. The
matter is aggravated BY the fact that Of all the
manufacturers Of structural material in the
country all but three or four are outside Of the
Amalgamated Association and can make con-
tracts and deliveries in q business way, and we
are at a ruinous disadvantage. The periodical
Interruptions and stoppages in the current of
business to which Amalgamated mills are SUBJ
ject while their non-union competitors all over
the country are running are becoming intolera-
bic. Despite the desire Of the manufacturers
for peace all these drawbacks and discrimina-
tons are working the manufacturers to the
non-union point and unless the Amalgamated
changes its course we will be forced together"
George NJ. Laughiin Of Jones 4 LAughlin's,
limited, said: Arbitration was proposed BY ~
as being the best and fairest means of settle
ment, lot only for ourselves and workmen, but
for the public as well We can show by plain,
easily understood figures that We cannot work
under what is proposed to us by the ANAL.
gamated Association and be successful; that il
would be mourning direct monetary loss to do
so. I do not apprehend that the Amalgamated
Association will agree through its lodges, to
which the question of arbitration has been re-
Element. 1t has never been the policy Of that
association to agree to arbitration or to desire
the same, except in cases like that now existing
at Homestead, when they knew they were
whipped. am led to believe that they will re-
fuse to arbitrate with us from the attitude the
Amalgsmated Association representatives in the
conference committee have all along main
tanned. don't think arbitration will be voted
on favorably. 1t is possible, however, that the
committee from the, association viii be given
some power to act"
''In case the association through its lodges
votes against arbitration and refuses to grant
its committee power to act beyond what it had,
then what?'
"Such a step on the part Of the association
would bring 1t nearer the termination of the
suicidal policy ii has inaugurated lately than
anything else. In the past many concerns have
found it advantageous to work under the rulss
OF the Amalgnmated Association, but Il would
appear that these rules are about to become
such that we cannot continue in succsssful
operation under them. They certainly win
become such il the association keeps up the
desperate suicidal policy ithas pursued Of lats ;"