Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-05-15
THE MACHINIST STRIKE.

THE MACHINIST STRIKE.
PTTTSBURG, Pa, May 1.-THE local
officials Of the International Association
of Machinists are not apprehensive of
serious trouble in Pittsburg, over the
new general scale, which goes into eff
feet on May goth. About 80 per cent of
the trade in this district, they claim,
| now observe the nine hour rule, and
they express confidence in the belief
that large part Of the rest will agree
to adopt the system, which carries with
it an advance in wages of l211s per cent.
WASHINGTON, May 14.-President
o'Connell, of the International Associa-
ton of Machinists, President Gompers,
of the American Federation Of Labor,
and the officials of five allied metal
workers trades were In conference to-
day determining the policy to be pur-
sued in the machinists strike ordered to
take effect on May 20. The trades re-
presented were the pattern makers,
blacksmiths, metal polishers, glass
workers and boiler makers. An address
will be issued later outlining the exact
course to be followed Mr. O'Connell
said to-day:
There may be strike of few days
duration, but l don't look forward to
any protracted conflict. Man. firms n
New York, Chicago, Indianapolis and
elsewhere have just signed agreements
granting our requests. A telegram
from New Orleans to-day says that
twelve firms have signed there. Every
firm in Omaha has signed.
THE indications are that by May 20
at least rs per cent of the employers
of the country will have acquiesced.
The National Metal Trades Association
composes about rs per cent. of the ma
chinist employees of the country. While
the employers association will doubt
less live up to their agreement requiring
nine-hour day, we have a dispute
with them now regarding the wages.
One of our agreements with them is
that all disputes shall be settled by ar
bitration, but the association of en-
ployers is contending that that matter
shall be arbitrated with each individual
firm, while the men want the matter
arbitrated nationally. Therefore. the
general order for a nine-hour day was
issued and also the call for an increase
of 1212 per cent. in wages That order
applies to the employers association as
well as to the shops outside of the as
ISOLATION. We have the pledged sup
port of the American Federation of La
Dor, both moral and financial"
SPRINGFIELD, H., May 14-Follow-
ing action taken at meeting last night
one hundred machinists in the Wabash
shops struck to-day, being nearly all
the machinists in the shops. They
will ask for an increase from 25 to 30
cents per hour, and time and half
for overtime and a nine hour day.
Probably half of the force of three hun
dred men employed at shops have quit
work.
WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE repre-
sentatives of the machinery and allied
metal trades national and international
unions who have been in session here
for two days considering the enforce
ment of demand that union machin-
lists hereafter shall be required to work
only nine hours a day, with an in
crease of wages that would make the
daily pay the same as under the pres
ent ten hour scale, late this afternoon
decided that there should be a strike
on May Goth in shops refusing to grant
the desired concessions.
The following statement concerning
the conference was authorized:
ut was decided that all workers in
the machinery and allied metal trades
should demand the nine hour day, with
out reduction in pay, before May 10th,
and the same to go into effect on that
date.
THE officers of the organizations de-
cided that the men in their respective
trades would stand by each other in the
enforcement of the demand should it be
necessary to cease work
in view of the encouraging reports
received from large number of en-
ployers in trades having already notified
their employees of the concession to the
above demand, no serious opposition to
the movement is anticipated.
The conference adjourned at 5
o'clock this afternoon. and the partici-
pants returned to their respective head
quarters