Evening star., 1899-07-01
Threats of a Strike at the Carnegie
Homestead Works.
ONION VoRKMEN NOT WANTED
Nearly $4,000 Tin Plate Workers
Out of Employment To-day.
FOUR PLANTS OPERATING

III IoDOhd, Fa., July l.-The reported
strike at the Homestead steel works of the
Carnegie Company has not taken place as
yet, but the men are much worked up over
the discharge of the members of the Anal
gamated committee who waited on Super
intendent Corey yesterday and demanded
the return of the fifteen men dismissed re-
Gently for joining the association. Threats
of a strike are heard on all sides, but the
plant was in full operation today, and all
the men were at work, save the twenty
four who were discharged
A meeting of the Homestead workers was
in session until an early hour this morning,
and a conference with Superintendent
Corey was held at 8 o'clock today, but the
closest secrecy was maintained by both
sides. short time later Superintendent
corey left the works for Pittsburg to con-
suit with the officials OF the company At
the offices in this city nothing could be
learned as the officials preserved their Gus
tomary silence Upon all matters concern
ing their affairs. When Superintendent
Corey was seen he denied that 1000 men
quit last night.
Can we say authoritatively that there is
no strike, and that the men did not quit ?"
You cam
President Schwab's Position.
President Schwab of the Carnegie COM
P"hs, -"ueH dSheu IOr statement about
the proposed strike, refused to discuss the
matter at all. He would not admit the
truth of any conference between himself
and Mr.. Corey on one side and the COM
mittee of nine on the other
There are 1900 men employed in the big
works. The company states that only
about $50 or 300 of them are really skilled
workmen in the sense that term used to be
accepted. 1t is true, the laborers predoni-
nate numerically, but the amalgamated
people claim to have received every prom
Use OF aid and support from them.
Ihe company has not made any attempt
to conceal the reason for the dismissals 1t
was solely for the reason that the men
went into a labor organization when they
mad been forbidden. The question of wages
does not enter into the controversy. the
men being as well paid and, in many in
stances. better than those mills recogniz-
Ing the unions and paying what is known
as the scale rate
Stand of the COMPANY,
The Amalgamated Association has been
working with the Carnegie employees for
some time. 1t was intended to make the
matter of formation of the organization
public several weeks ago and declare an
open fight. A secret ballot was taken and
1t was decided to keep the secret, awaiting
developments The officials of the COM
pany, by some means, came to know that
the union. Discharges Immediately follow
ed with the plain statement by the officials
that they did not want union men in their
employ.
One by one men We're discharged as theip
affliation with the labor organization be-
came known. That there has been much
quiet work done among the men during the
last five years is known among the officials
OF the organization. Five years ago open
meetings were held at Homestead for the
purpose of gaining a foothold. The meet
ings were well attended, but the men were
afraid to show their colors. Many of them
were discharged for their attendance at
these gatherings. The open plan was then
abandoned and secret work begun.
Nine Firms Sign ScaIe
PITTSBURG. Pa, July 1.-The new scale
year of the Amalgamated Association of
Iron and Steel Workers began today. with
a better record for the union Than has been
made for more than half a dozen years.
Nine individual firms and the representa-
hves of the American Hoop Company Re-
public Iron and Steel Company and the
Iron and Steel Sheet Manufacturers Asso-
citation have signed the scale so far, and
numoer OF other signatures are expected
before the day closes. OF the nine indi-
vidual firms signing five have been running
non-union for number of years; one had
been IDLE for seven years, resuming late in
the winter: one is a new mill and another
mill.
The latest addition to the signers was the
Hyde Park Iron and Steel Company of
Hyde Park, Pa. The mills that have not
signed. but at which scales have been pre-
sented, are Spang, Chalfant & Co, Pitts
burg Forge and Iron Company and Moor
head Brothers & Co. OF these all but
ABOUT nfty men are out at Spang's, the
down and Moorheads plant is still in op-
Grafton.
Tin Plate Mills Shut Down.
The local firms not recognizing the union
are the Carnegie Steel Company Jones s&
Laughlin's. Park Steel Company J. Painter
& Sons, VIM. Clark Sons Company and
Singer, Nimick & Co. At several of these
the workmen are secretly connected with
the amagamated, but no attempt was
made at this time to insist upon the scale
and all the plants were in full operation to-
day, with no trouble threatening except at
Carnegie's, where war was declared on the
union by the discharge of a number of
workmen known to be members.
As the result of the failure to agree upon
the tin plate scale, all the mills in the
country are idle today, barring four nom
unskifled workmen are out of employment
pending a settlement.
Statement of Carnegie Company.
PITTSBURG. Pa. July 1.-The following
official statement was issued by the Car
negie Steel Company today:
with reference to the reported strike
last night at the Homestead steel works. it
was stated at the office of the Carnegie
Steel Company today that the mills were
running full during the night and are run
ming full this morning, and that mono. of
the employees left the works during the
night as was reported.
"A number of workmen have been dis
charged, including a committee of thirteen,
which called upon Superintendent Corey
yesterday to request the reinstatement of
men previously discharged for cause The
plant will close down at noon today, as is
usual on Saturday.
Mass Meeting Tonight.
The Amalgamated Association has ar
ranged for mass meeting of the employees
of Carnegie's at Homestead tonight. Vice
President Benjamin 1. Davis of Cambridge.
Ohio, has arrived in the city, and will take
charge at Homestead, and will remain until
the matter is settled. He says he does not
anticipate repetition of the battle of 1892,
and that he viii do everything in his power
to prevent trouble in the event of a strike.
The situation. he says. is more encourage
ing than in 1892. for the reason that there
is scarcity of labor at present, and the