The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-07-27
We organized about three hundred
employees OF the Carnegie Homestead
mills. but this lodge was disbanded, be-


mills, but this lodge was disbanded, be-
cause the company discharged those
who were known to have connected
themselves with US. This, we claim.
was a violation of the "Anti-Discrimi-
nation Law Of Pennsylvania, regulat-
in9 the relations of employers to organ
lied bodies of labor, and making it a
misdemeanor to discharge for this
cause, or require them to leave such
Organisations, or compel them to re-
frain from Joining. We have covered
the men Of Lindsey & McCutcheon's
mills, and Painters mills, Pittsburg,
both owned by the American Steel
Hoop Company. This company is will
ing to sign our scale for six mills do
ing similar work, but refuses perempt-
orily to do 80 for the two named. =,
In June, 1900, the men Of Woods mill,
McKeesport, Pennsylvania, owned by
the Sheet Steel Trust. requested admit
lance to our society. They were re-
ceived, but no attempt was made to
secure improvement Of mill surround
ingB, which were deplorable, or to in
crease their wages, which were far be-
low those paid to our people in the 9TH
er mills run by the same firm.
In 1901 discovery was made of their
utilization with US, and seven men re-
moved from positions which most had
held for periods ranging from eight to
twenty-one years, the cause assigned
for discharge being Identification with
the Amalgamated Association. The
men resisted, and, aided by the Asso-
citation, wrested promise Of reinstate-
Inent from the managers Of the con-
Germ. The agreement has not been kept
in it's entirety, only six being permitted
to return to their employment. As we
are accused Of affecting disastrously the
stocks and commercial markets, we
submitted and secured work elsewhere
for our victimized brother.
While much Of the above was trans-
piring the seven trusts with which we
dealt were reorganized into what is we'll
known as the United States Steel Com
pany. It has never expressed hostility
to organized labor-at least not official
ly. It is true that Mr.. Schwab, it's
president, expressed views, while be-
fore the Industrial Commission, which
have been construed as inimical to US,
but Mr.. schwab his been misinterpret-
ed by many papers. their reports not
being consenant with the stenographic
copy in my possession. But If their ex-
position were correct. its force would
be lost when the fact is considered that
bespoke Of organised labor as he view
ed it's in the terrible and murderous
light-kindled, perhaps, as much by
misguided Judgment az by tnsatiate de-
sire for afluence and power-when
capital and labor unitedly became re-
sponsible for all the misdeeds conse-
quent upon Homestead's gigantic
bllnder. ..*.. -: 49, z..
The Amalgamated Association laid
carefully to heart all the b1tter expert
ence Of that hour. and, being made
wiser, IL endeavoring to follow the
peaceful and more profitable path Of
business method. As one manufactur-
err, Colone! French Of Chicago. has said.
1--WE are endeavoring to treat on the
broad equities, and, dealing as partner
with partner, in all honesty and fair
ness aim to do that which is Just to
BOTH" Intercourse with such men as
Conlonel French has been salutary and
beneficial.
With the Illinois Steel Company and
the Republic Iron and Steel Company
we have agreed upon wage settlements
which virtually reduce the possibility
of strikes, or even the cessation of op-
GRAFTON Of plants, and our law compels
us to extend to all with whom we treat
any and all privileges accorded to one.
In order to elucidate this, it will be
ulating scales. ,ss>y2stg-.
The manufacturing territory Of the
| United States is divided into districts,
with vice-president over each. These
districts are composed of subordinate
lodges, one or more to- each department
Of MILL compromising certain crafts.
The districts are merged into a Nation
al Lodge, to which all are responsible.
Each year the lodges. in the month of
April, hold meetings and consider sug-
gestions for changing our constitution
and scales. These are sent to the Nat
ional Lodge, which prints and distri-
butes them to the subordinate lodges:
This year we issued a manufacturers
edition, 50 that they might know, be-
fore we considered and acted upon
them in convention, exactly what our
members desired.
The national president appoints a
wage committee, which examines the
suggestions, and, selecting those DEEM
ed fair, reports scale to the delegates
of the succeeding convention. The lat
ter body usually further 'modiies, thus
Gliding the radical and preserving the
just demands made upon the employ
ers. A conference committee, = general
ly vested with plenary authority, is APP
pointed by the president, and meeting
held with the manufacturers. when an
annual scale 10 obtained by further re-
auctions proposed by them. In case no
agreement is reached before July Of
each year. work is discontinued and we
are regarded as being on strike.
| Last year we required three months
Of elaboration before reaching con-
illusions mutually satisfactory. The
Republic Iron and Steel Company re-
quested that we arrange plans to obvi-
ate such long periods Of negotiation, as
orders were diverted, capital invested
yielded no return and numerous COM
comitant evils resulted from the inter