Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-09-19
THB TUBE WORKS IDLB,
As A RESULT OF TEE STRAIGHTENERS
TROUBLE, MONDAY.
The Night Turn Refused to Go to Work Last
Evening, and the Plant Was Shut DOwn-A
History Of the Trouble, From Both Sides.

The big Riverside tube works rein
active. II will be rememb ered that yes
terday the REGISTER told OF labor
complication at tho mill, and that a
strike was probability. At six o'clock
last night, at the time set for the start.
ing of the night turn. the strike was be-
gun. About eight hundred men are az
fected.
After the discharge of the eight
straighteners Monday, number OF the
other boys around the plant refused TO
20 to work. The lads who were dis
charged are about thirteen years OF age
each, and are all members Of Riverside
Assembly No. $50, the new lodge Of the
K. OF L. Of the mill. That is the reason
OF the strike, as the labor union has
taken the matter up. When the
straighteners were discharged it was a
difficult thing for the management TO
run the plant, as none Of the pipe could
be finished. They kept at work until
Yesterday evening, when they claimed
that it was impossible to run longer
without having the pipe finished, even
had the men not struck. During the
afternoon the Assembly management
got word to the night turn men TO come
out until the case of the discharged
boys could be investigated, and at six
o'clock none Of the workmen appeared
10 90 10 work. There was but one thing
to do, aud that was 10 shut the works
down.
There are two sides to the story, and
the REGISTER is enabled to give the-I
both. The lads who were disch0 ged
think that the employers wante' 60 put
double work on them. They wanted
them 10 do the work Of the chalker,
they say, and that would greatly in
crease their work, and throw some Of
the employees idle. 1t is evident that
the labor union OF the plant, which in
cludes about all the employees, is of the
same opinion, for il has agreed to cham
pion the boys cause.
On the other hand the management
claims that the extra work they wanted
the straighteGers TO do was very slight.
They claim that all the difference was
that formerly the boys threw pipe on
stand when they finished it, and they
were asked TO throw the pipe on the
floor. II is claimed that that is the rea-
son they refused, and which caused
their subsequent discharge, and the
strike. The employers also claim that,
even If some of the BOYS would be
thrown out Of work in that department
by the new order, it was the intention
TO get them better work in some other
part Of the works.
Regarded in any phase, the strike at
this time is something to be deplored,
Tor there are few of the men who can
afford TO be without work now that
winte- is coming on. The tube works
are Just recovering from the effects OF
the hard times, and were beginning to
have a great run. Among the industries
Of the city the tube works officials were
always highly regarded for the fairness
of their treatment Of the men, few
labor differences occurring there. This
is the first hitch that the new labor
organization ever had with the manage
ment, and the result is problematical.
AS there are members OF the X. OF l..
among all the workmen Of the entire
plant, it may be regarded as a posi-
bilitv that workmen in other depart
ments may join the strike through sym
patty, although it is to be hoped this
will not be the case.
There will be an important meeting
this evening at Notes hall on South
Eoff street, when the Assembly will
have a special meeting. The claims OF
the discharged employees will be heard,
and action taken.