Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-14


Tho Homes Of Homestead.
Taylor-Were you there when the town
was born?
about II years ago.
Taylor-The town grew up under the
works. I noticed the homes of the men
were nice and convenient, above the aver
age.
A. Yes. Do you think they are too COM
Portable for workfngmen?
Taylor-Not half enough SO for any work.
man. mean they looked to me to be above
the average.
A. Thank you, sir, for that answer.
Taylor-To what extent are the houses
mortgaged?
A. don't know.
Taylor-You know there is bright town
there, don't your
A. Yes, sir.
Taylor-I hope it will soon be restored
again to peace and quiet.
Boatner-Are yonr wages affected by the
A. No scale was proposed for my depart
ment. What l complain about is what has
been done in the past.
William Roberts, ex-Vice President of
the Amalgamated Association and first
helper in the armor plate department, was
the next witness. He Is bright, clear
headed man, and gave his testimony so we'll
that he was complimented by Colonel Oates
and has worked in Homestead for the last
two years.
Oates-Did you help prepare the scale of
the malgamated Association?
KoDerts-Yes, as q member of the Associa
tion. Last January the firm asked us TO
present a scale for our department.. We did
80 and two weeks later was called in by the
nrm as i thought to talk over our scale.
Instead, they presented scale calling for
reductions, and asked me to refer it to the
men. l asked them to explain why they
made such reductions. They declined to
answer for time, and then Mr.. Potter said
the heaters and men like myself had been
making too much money, and would have to
be cut down. My job was the first reduced
on the list in their scale they did not cut
tiiese men but others who were not making
so much money.
Oates-What wore you paid? and state
how the scale would have affected you.
How One Worker Was Affected.
A. My position was first helper, and I was
paid So 07 per hundred tons with billets at
SIG 50. The new scale proposed to give me
50 Is per hundred tons. asked why such O
reduction had been made in my wages
Potter replied mistake may have been
made, and in the ultimatum of May 30 it
contained q fOOtnote putting my wages back
at So 07. knew Il reduction was coming, for
one of the managers said to me last winter,
wait till July comes your little gold mine
Dc not
fence and grating the sewers. l knew it
meant trouble for us, but said nothing. If
negotiations had not been broken Off SO
abruptly by the firm this strike would never
have occurred.
Boatner-Do you think If negotiations had
been continued few days the trouble could
have been avertedr
A. Yes, sir.
Oates-What is your pay:
A. have received as little as SO cents
per day. see Mr.. Frick says was paid $144
Nav T1,nf I.rk t.
my average salary. 1 have often waited
day without pay for steel, and accidents fire.
quently knock us out. The new scale would
reduce wages o about Is per cent In our de
there would be an additional cut of per
cent.
Oates-what is the labor cost in making
Awe have no way to find ont except
from our scale. Armor plate is rolled
cheaper at Homestead than anywhere in the
world ma asked wi Why reductions were
of tonnage, but pay roll. The firm claims
new machinery has increased production.
1t has greatly increased the work of en-
wants to reduce engineers 30 cents per day.
Judge Taylor asked what was meant by,
it is not question of tonnage, but pay roll.
Mr.. Roberts replied that Superintendent
Potter evidently wanted to convey the idea
in general that the men were drawing too
much money.
Tho Workers Who are Reduced.
Bynum-What classes of men are affected
most by the reduction9
Roberts-Well, for instance, a man who
makes 81 % is reduced to 81 80, while the
heater who makes 81 81 is not reduced. En-
yineers receive even a greater reduction.
the OUTPUT 1t also increases Ia
Dor. The men work harder now
than ever before. ana still they propose re-
1uction like so per cent, OF cent per hour
ess than when the mill was first put
IN operation.
Bynum-Mv impression was that the re.
1uction in your department. was regulated
Roberts-No, sir. We are reduced ls per
,ent regardless OF the price of billets. It is |
lot the high-priced men who are reduced. |
engineers and Iow-priced men generally. |
Their work has been made harder, yet the |
irm wants to cut them down.
Oates-Do you know anything about the |
Pinkertons
A. Nothing. would like to give reasons |
or objecting to the termination of the scale |
n the winter. Their idea ts to starve us |
nto submission at that time. There are |
now birds who won't work in the summer, |
)ut will jump in in the winter. We do the |
lard work through the summer, and in the |
winter these loafers take our places, and
If employment four or five months, and are |
orced to go back at lower wages. Mr.. Frick
avs it doesn't suit them, as it disturbs busi-
wages. To answer this we would make a
Gale with them for ten years or longer. We
ouldn't squeeze them, and it would be as
air for one as the other.
Favors Compulsory Arbitration.
Boatner-Did the association ever sign a
Gale expiring in December?
A. Yes, for rail mill in South Chicago.
Alx.
ock at that time.
Broderick-Have you thought Of arbitra-
ion2
Yes. Manufacturers have been protected.
favor compulsory arbitration under con- |
rol of Federal or State laws.
Boatner-That is, If the capitalists are pro-
ected to the extent OF 75per cent, you ought
o have some share itf
Ayes.
Boatner-I think so, too TLaughter1.
Bynum-Where does the consumer come |
4. He gets left. [Laughter].
Oates-Are you familiar with work in other
mes?
Ayes; structural mills, for example.
7ill take the 2Sinch mill at Homestead and
ompare it with Jones & Laughlins. The
ltter's rollers receive 10 cents per ton. At
homestead the same class of workmen are
aid from % to % cents per ton.
Oates-Does the improved machinery of
arnegie make work easier? Il
A. The advantage in this case is with |
ones & Laughlins. Their mill IL more mod
IN and better than Carnegie's 23inch mill.
gain, plate mill rollers are paid IA cents per
on at Homestead. while in other mills they |
sceive y cents per ton.
Oates-Is the market the same for bothf
A. Yes. Manufacturers tell me they get |
hat Carnegie can't supply.
Oates-If the company could supply the
larket, Carnegie would have the preference,
suppose7
A. Yes. When other mills are idle in dull
mes Carnegie's are running. This is the
ssult The market price is what Carnegie
lakes it. He practically has q monopoly.