The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-07-02
STEEL WORKERS GO
OUT ON A STRIKE
Suspension of Work Ordered at
the Combines Plants.
MANY MEN INVOLVED
REAL STRUGGLE WILL NOT
TAKE PLACE JUST YET.

workers new scale at Saturdays con-
ference, circulars were sent out from
the national headquarters of the Anal
gamated Association of Iron, Steel <
Tin Workers yesterday and today, de-
clariEg q strike at all the plants of the
two combines. At the outset over $4,000
men are involved.
The American Steel Hoop cOmpauy's
main offices are in this city TIE COM
pauy has three non-uniOn plants in this
city and a nOn-uniOn plant at Mo
nCssen and ere at DuncanVille, though
the employees of tee latter are ready
for organization as soon as the Anal
gemated people viii take them in.
Other plants of the company are
claimed by the Amalgamated assOcia-
tiOE rs union.
For the first few weeks the situation
VIII not show the strength of the asso-
ciation. Almost all the plants of the
company, union anf. nOn-UnIOn, viii be
compelled tc shut down during the
early part on July 40 glYe the men
rest. Union and nOn-unlOn men alike
are demanding q short vacation, and
the prediction is that the companies
VIII be unable to keep anyone at work
for two or three weeks after tomorrow.
The heat is intense, and the men, the
president said today, are almost in
state Of revolt.
1t win be after, perhaps, the first
OF August when the combine makes a
serious attempt TO start up in full shat
uaent has been reached a. that time
The company cannot wei delay oper-
atng longer than that, on account Of
the present food of orders In fact, the
urgent orders now on the books can
scarcely wait through July. Thus the
association mas almost & month more
TO prepare for the coming struggle. It
is the boast Of the Amalgamated assO-
citation officials that by that time they
viii control so per cent of the capacity
of the 0mbinatiOn'S plants
Plans Of Association.
Gradually the plans Of President
Shafe. Of the Amalgamated assoeia-
ton are being uncovered. Since the
trouble in the w Devices wood mills
in MckeespOrt few months ago, the
Amalgamated- association has been
actively engaged in breaking up the
present arrangement of the combine
in operating parts Of their plants with
non -GuIOn men, and the others with
union men. Mr.. Shafer sEys that if
this is not checked the life Of the Anal
gamsted association is threatened, for
the combine viii always work their
union mills least. and the union men
VII be sufferers by this discrimina ton.
The fight is not for wages. but for
organization. Either the Amalgamate9
association must bow to the viii of the
greater combine. or else the greater
combine VIII have to give up its nom
union mills. Members of the advisory
declare that MISREPRESENTATION has a SUI
prise in store for the combine.
We have not been idle during the
first half Of the present year said one.
We have strong lodges in several non
union plants in which the combine
imagines il has absolute control We
are in better shape for a strike than
we ever were before. Our membership
among the sheet-WNrkers is stronger
than 1t has been IN years. and our
treasury mas Q larger defense fund than
we ever had III our history. The queS-
ton of signing for al mills must be
settled Tins year. Next year or the
year following would be too late
Added interest was given to the
strike situation when IL became known
that The two mills which were the
cause of disagree ment between the
ADalgamated association and the
American Sheet Steel company are
claimed by both parties These mills
are the Old Meadows at ScottsdaIe and
the Salisbury mill. These officials who
refused TO sign the union scale seem
much surprised at the claims of Presi-
dent Shafer that the mills are union
Men Refuse to Quit
The sheet steel officials appear 10
have a trife the better of the argument
TO-DAY. when word came from ScOttS-
dale that the men now working there
refused to quis- Speaking OF conditions
at ScotJsdal5. John Jarrett. secretary Of
the labor bureau of the Sheet Steel
company, said today:
The Amalgamated people have no
claim 10 the Meadows and Salisbury
mines. The men. particularly in SCOTS
dale are working under personal agree
meuts with Us. These agreements have
been extended to Jan 1. 1908. I under
stand that the workers there DO not
desire any change. They left the Anal
gamated association of their own Volt
TiOn- They came TO US many months
ago and pleaded TO have the mills
started.
They would aEree to cut the Anal
gamated for all time if we could but
start the mills. They are making money
now. something which they did not do
when quarreling all the time with the
association. President Shafer can order
out his men. but the question is, can
ne stop the mill2
"The whole thing in a nutshell is that
the Amalgamatad association seems
anxious to have US force these men
at Se0ttsdale and Salisbury TO come
into their fold again. This we VIII not
do"
A we'll known independent sheet man
ufacturer stated today that Indications
pointed to a peaceful settlement Of the
trouble. nc said,
Trouble May be Settled.
President Shafer of the AmaIga-
mated association knows that the men
q ScOttsdale and at Salisbury vOlun-
faTilT asked the steel management %
give them q share of the work being
done at the other mills of the company
at the terms OF the company. or at any
terms. The workers also proposed an
individual contract. which. in the case
of one Of the mills at SCottsdaIe, runs
for TAO years. and at a rate no lower
than is paid in the organized mills.
The difference in the wage agree
ment is mat the mill committee is done
away with, and that the wage rate does
not advance until the wage rate under
the Amalgamated agreement has ad-
vanced 10 per cent above the base In
Other words, should The price Of sheets
entitIe She organized mills 20 a pei
cent increase in wages. the mills work
Ing under the Individual contract sys-
tenn VIII receive no advance
At The once OF the American Stee1
Hoop company & was stated that GER
tain plants Of the company were closed
this week for needed repairs and ths
national holiday. The others were al
work as usual but none Of the officials
would allow themselves 10 De quoted
Ou The present wage complication
Eaesidept ShafeF said tonight thai
he had nothing 20 say further man has
already been published. His determine
tion 20 carry the interests Of the Anal
gamated association to a successful IN
ism IS undated.
Famous Hotel Burned