Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-23
| WORKERS IN METALS
Views of President Schafer of the
Amalgamated Association.
BEFORE THE INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION
Favorable to the F ormation of
Trusts
EFFECT OF IMMIGRATION

Theodore ]. Schaffer, president of thu
Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel anC
Tin Workers of America, was today before
the industrial commission in session in the
Bliss building. Mr.. Schaffer went to worl
in a rolling mill when fourteen years O
age and has since been connected with tina
business a worker officer Of the
association with the exception of number
of years when he was in the ministry. The
Anal gamated Association has about So OOt
members, most Of whom are in the
steel trade. 1t has about eight-tenths
of the iron workers organized and one-hal1
of the tin workers. But practically all Of
the tin workers are organized in some form
at least 40 per cent of all the Steel iror
and tin workers of the country are organ.
lied The men in these industries suffered
reductions since 1892, but they have lately
secured advances which make their wages
nearly equal to what they were in 1892
The industry is now generally in a more
prosperous condition than it was sever
years ago.
The existence of non-union mills today
Is not because of contention on ac-
count OF wages, but is the result of a mis-
understanding between the managers of
mills is not now organized because its
manager felt that the men had not treated
him fairly
The steel and iron workers at Home
stead nave not been in organized labor
since 1891, though there are about 1000
men there who could be organized if that
company would permit it to be done.
Sliding Scale of Wages.
The witness explained at length the
character of the sliding scale of wages in
vogue in the industries represented by
him. Under this scale the wages are fixed
according to the profit the manufacturers
make on their contracts. For this reason
the advent of prosperity or fair prices fol
work is not at once a benefit to the work.
man, whose wages remain the same as long
as the hard times" contracts are being
hlled. AS soon as better contracts begin
to be filled the sliding scale goes up, and
the men get better wages. He believed the
slldlng scale was the best possible arrange
ment for settlement of the wage ques-
ton between manufacturers and their
workmen.
He hoped the time would come when the
Amalgamated Association would be able to
take out incorporation papers. This would
do away, he believed, with strikes and
would result in a better feeling between
manufacturers and the men. Incorporation
would make the labor organization re-
sponsible body The only obstacle against
that the men were not yet educated up to
1t. During the last two years there had
been a great advance in the good feeling
between employers and employees in the
lines of work he represented.
The witness was satisfied that within the
last four months fifty immigrants had
come to this country under contract &c
work in tin mills. Every one who knew
of these cases was satisfied that the men
had come under contract and in violation
of the law, but they had not been able to
make out case against these men, except
in two instances, in which they caused
them to De sent back to their homes. He
regretted that the immigration law could
not be enforced. as it was quite an injury
to the men in organized labor here
Opposed Compulsory Arbitration.
Mr.. Schaffer was not in favor of COM
pulsory arbitration. He did not favor II
because he did not believe that the men
would get justice at the hands of state
boards of arbitration. He took this view
of the situation, he said, because of the
treatment organized labor receives in the
courts in times of disputes between en-
ployers and employees.
There had been many improved machines
introduced in the steel, iron and tin indus
tries during the last five years, but such
Improvements had not caused any consid-
cradle displacement of labor nor a reduc-
ton in wages.
He thought that the employment of wo-
men and girls In mills was injurious to
them. both morally and physically. About
500 of such employees are now in the tin
mills He did not advocate excluding them
from the mills, they are able to make
rather a good living through such employ
ment. The conditions under which their
work Is done should be improved, but he
had no suggestion to make looking to such
an improvement. The women should be
separated from the men in their work. but
he did not think that would be practical.
Forced to Work Sundays.
The men IN the steel, iron and tin in
dustries generally work but eight hours a
day, and he thought that six hours would
be better. They do not want to work on
Sundays. He had endeavored to have Sun
day work in Pittsburg abandoned. The
men objected to such work, but the man.
ayers Of the mills say they have to operate
on Sundays in order to compete with 9TH
ers. In the steel mills Sunday work is
getting more general than formerly
immigration had brought the workmen
in the steel, iron and tin mills where they
are today. 1t had kept wages down and
lowered the standards of living. Many
immigrants come to this country from,
Wales to work in tin mills, and are in
dustrious and economical and are usually
church-going people, but they are inju-
rlouS to labor in many instances, because
many of them have no regard for their
trade, and only desire to make all they
can In short time and return to thei1
homes abroad. They are what are called
the tin hogs"
American WOrkmen Superior.
He considered the American workmen In
| the steel, iron and tin industries as superior
J 10 those abroad. Immigrants that come
here nearly always do the lower grades o1
work, though the second generation are ali
70 secure skilled work. The immigrant him
self does not seem able to become a skilled
workman. The Huns. Polanders and Rue
slams were apt to be a disadvantage to or
ganized labor in the steel, iron and tin IN
dEstrics, and the Italians when they ge
| IN the business, are a hard problem to dea
with. Finlanders and Swedes are goot
worknen and good citizens. They had IL,
difficulty with English, French and German
immigrants. The Irish made good work
| men and good union men, and he supposed