The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-06-03
TROUBLE. is In STORE.
Significant Reduction Of Employees
at Pittsburg.

Pittsburg, June PA 10 per cent. cut
In wages affecting all men not under the
amaigamated scale was ordered at Jones
q LSughlin's American Iron Works to-
day. AS result the open hearth workers
and some other employees, in all about
2O0, refused to work last night. The
firm employs nearly 5000 men.
The stories of the number of.smen who
Gnit work are conflicting. At The South
Side Office :" superintendent thought
about 700 men had quit w ork, but these
had not crippled the plant. The work
men claim that between 400 and 500 have
refused to work for the reduction. The
superintendent said he would rather have
the old employees resume, but if they do
not new men will be employed to take
their places. About 2, 900 men are affected
by the cut.
The laborers have been paid 1926 per
day, and these have been cut to 81. IL l.2.
The present reduction Is significant, in.
asmuch as the amalgamated steel scale
comes up for consideration this month
The present scale expires July 1. If
Jones Il Laaghlin refuse to Sign the ANAL
gamated scale there is.no telling where
the trouble will end.
w. L. King, of the firm, was asked to-
day 1t the reduction did not indicate that
the new amalgamated scale will he re.
Jected when it comes up for consideration
and that the firm will demand reduc.
tion of the present wages.
He said: "That is the assump tion.n
Mr.. King added: 1--WE have been hon
ing since last fall that we would not be
compelled to make reduction, but prices
have had downward tendency, and we
put it off as long as we could. hoping
business might improve.
we must either operate our plant at
these prices or close, down. Thousands of
mechanics and laborers apply every week
for work and it will be no trouble to get
men. Our orders have largely been from
hand to mouth, and it has been difficult
TO get orders to keep the men at work"
The Commercial Gazette to morrow
Will say: 1.-The furnacemen throughout
the Shenango and Hahoning Valleys con.
template general strike about j ly for
increased wages. The men have no or.
ganiZation as yet, but are insisting on
having organizers from tue knights of
Labor sent among them.
The plan fer the strike, which will in.
clude III, 600 men, is to witt until the
weather gets ut summer heat when it
will he impossible for new men to do this
class of work, and it is believed the fur
mace operators willscapitulate.
The present wages of furnacemen vary
from $3.50 to So per day.
Reading, June 2.-Between 800 and 600
employees of the Reading Iron Company
quit work this morning because of the
reduction which went into force to-day.
The sheet mill, puddle MILL rolling
mill and Obey street mill are involved.
The reduction does not affect ssthe Scott
Works, which at present has considera.
BILE work on hand. The men claim it is
not strike, many stopping work, pre-
fering to wait until better wages could be
offered. at the rolling mill, in the lower
section of the city, the last heat was made
ut O'Clock this morning, when the en-
tie plant closed down.
/ There are about forty puddlers at this
place, who say their reduction from
$2.T0 to $40 per ton, and that after their
helpers were paid 1t would be impossible
to make So per day The helpers, roll
hands, heaters and laborers were given n
cut of about 10 per cent. This brought
common labor down to 80 cents per day.
At the pipe mill some flnishers and fur.
mace men quit on Monday evening, their
reduction ranging from 10 to 20 per cent.
The finishers were reduced 10 per cent.
which made n difference of 90 cents day
in their wages.
The Temple Iron Company also made a
| reduction in wages of 10 cents on the dol.
lar, which went into effect to day
TALKED W'ITIT FATrRE