The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-30
10000 MEN ARE AFFECTED
Mills Will Be Closed for an
 Indefinite Time.
After September 1, If the Dispute is Not Adjusted, the Amalgamat- cd Association Must Support
 the Idle Men.

Pittsburg. June 29-A definite order for a general strike of all union sheet steel workers was issued by President T. J. Shaffer of the Amalgamated As- sociation of Iron, Steel and Tin Work CTS today. There are over 10000 men affected by this order, and every mill operated by the American Sheet Steel Company, where union men are em- ployed, throughout the country will time as a settlement of the matters in dispute has been reached.
 Persifer F. Smith, the manager of the Dewee and Wood plant of the com- pany, and Elmer Kline, who is also connected with the company, acted as negotiations for the combine. M. Smith is said to have been one of the most pronounced non-union mill managers in the country. and from the time it was known he represented the com pany in the present wages conference the hitch was anticipated by the strik- CTS. At the office of the Amalgamated steel workers had decided to ask only the readoption of the present scale for the present year. No changes were wanted. but there would be demand that the American Sheet Steel Com- pany should sign the scales so that fl would cover all of the plants.
 The officialssof the company decline to consider this proposition.
 This morning the wage committee oi the Amalgamated Association met in conference at the Hotel Lincoln. At this final conference, Mr. Smith sub- uitted an ultimaturn to the workmen which was. in effect, that the wage scale for the plants of the company would be signed without question, with the exception of the old Meadow mills in ScottdaIe; the Dewee and Wood NH in McKeesport, the Wells Plant, and all otker plants not now considered part of the union workmen's province
 The workers committee refused tc consider the proposition and the con- ference adjourned without formalities As soon as the conference was over the advisory board met and approved the decision of the President to call out all the men of the union. The strike order is general and will take men from the non-union plants who belong to the organization as well as from the union mills. The men explain their demand for the unioni9ing Of all the mills of the combine by stating that last year 'he combine had taken advantage of it's position in having the non-union mills by operating them first ana ledNlHB oEBAuAAGu HAllAb totc UtllA pressure of business forced them tc start up. It was resolved by the men at that time that such a chance should never occur again for the combine; that it would be either all union mills or all non-union mills. To gain this point no change in tho scale was asked but demand for unionizing all the mills was made definite.
 The men claim that by the work oi missionaries of late they have sue ceeded in organizing to such an extent that it is doubtful if the combine will be able to turn out the full tonnage oi any one of it's non-union mills.
 It is generally agreed, however. that the real test of strength between ths combine and the workers will not bG made until after the warm weather During July and August there will bt no strike benefits paid the men out oi work. These two months are used by sheet mills. like all other iron plants for repairs. After September 1, if the scale is not signed. the Amalgamated Association will be called upon for the support of the idle men.