The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-05-13
u. s. Smelter Officials Hold a
Conference With Represen-
tatives of Employees.
$4,000 RECENTLY ADDED
TO THE WEEKLY PAYROLL
Employees of the American
Smelter Now Seem Ready
for Negotiations.

The diSaffection over wages among
the employees of the United States
smelter at Bingham Junction begins TO
loom big on the horizon of the labor
world in this section, with the closing
down of the American smelter at Muir
ray. In tho event of n strike on the
part of the workmcn, or shutdown
of the plant by the company, resulting
from n failure on the part OF both
sides concerned to get together on the
wage question, which is the bone of con-
tention there as 1t was at the Murray
smclter. the epidemic might spread to
the other Smeltcr concerns or the valley,
with like results, which would produce
disastrous effects in mining and labor
circles in this region,
From all indications what threatened
to be the crisis at the United States
smeltcr has been postponed two days.
The company Friday increased the
adopting n sliding scale that provided
for daily increase of from fifteen cents
man to twenty-five cents. The IN
crease WAS based oh the kind OF labor
performed. Between 400 and 600 men
were affected by the increase, 1T was
SAID by the company.
Advance Not Satisfactory.
The worltmen not affected by the in
crease were dissatisfied and voiced their
real or fancied grievance to the other
employees, finding ready and willing
listeners. A general meeting was de-
c,ded on for Friday night by dissatis-
fed employees and several hundred at
tended. 1t was determined at the meet
ing to demand of the company an in
crease of so cents a day for each man,
;he advance being placed high that the
smelter company might have plenty OF
room to meet the workmen hall way,
the hoped for increase being % cents.
AS an ultlmatum the dissatisfied work"
men proposed 10 walk out at B o clock
this afternoon If their demand was mol
acceded TO by the company,
However. conference between repre-
scntatives OF the workmen and othccrs
OF the company, Saturday afternoon,
brought delay in The walkout, Of two
DAYS, in which time, it is hoped, peace
can be effected. The company was rep.
Manager Rhodes. Superintendent Hazel
ton and MctallurgIcal Director Prosser.
In the committee from the employees
were twelve or thirteen men: The con
ference, the workings Of which little is
known, was held IN Mr.. Rhodes Office
at the smeltcr plant. Progress OF suih.
cient moment was made TO stayc off
lnS SGTlhe Until ~ was
said at the meeting IS close.
Mr. Hines Talks.
George w Hines, publicity agent for
the company, said Saturday night IN
connection with the affair: 1--WE grant
Cd an increase of from Is to Is cents
Friday that effected probably 600 men,
and advance having been made at vari-
Gus times before TO those not affected
by the last raise. but the trouble at the
American smclter at Murray. while not
directly responsible for the disaffectlon
at our plant. has probably accentuated
the difficulty. The men are asking for
and increase that, if granted, would
amount To more than p cents. We are
hopeful of an early and amicable settle
ment of the differences
Nj Hines declined TO make any state
mcnt regarding the report that the
United States company is contemplat.
ing moving TO another site, this being
assigned as a reason why the employees
there had given the question of higher
wages no agitation before. Mr.. Hines
did saw. however, that labor difficulties
are becoming so numerous that the opcr-
alton Of big industries is becoming wor-
rysome aud difficult on shat account.
Americans Predominant.
OF the 100 men employed at, the
lNlleu s>idleS SHlGltel tuc IndlOllI. dit
Americans. which fact is believed to be
an augury of peaceable settlement.
Next in order of number Is the Austri"
ans, then come the Greeks and finally
the Italians, of whom there are few.
The situation is considered far different
from conditions at Murray on account
of the Americans predominatlng, thus
removing one Of the distractions TO
settlement at Bingham Junction that
forwarded the strike at Murray, and
finally brought the walkout on,
The smeIter at Bingham Junction is
one of the largest in the valley, with
monthly payroll OF about $4,000, two
thirds of which does not go out of the
country through the foreign element en-.
ploved at the plant, as was the case at
Murray Lead and copper both are
handled mt the United States smelter,
The advance in wages made by the COM
panv Friday will probably add $4,000,
maybe more. to the monthly payroll.
Already there is much speculation
among business men of Bingham June
ZION as to what effect the threatened
strike may have on the business of that
town.