The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1911-05-19
Labor Under the Steel Trust.

l
tion, the greatest Industrial concern
lin. the world employing 250,000
men, has been not better known for
its magnitude than for its supposed
ly considerate treatment of labor.
| We have heard much OF its generous
land active efforts to draw the en-
lployes into stock ownership inter-
est in the company; of its bonus or
profit sharing system. of its accident
insurance system which goes far be-
Iyond the law Requirements Of any
state in its generosity 10 employees;
and of its old age pensions. Never
ltheless, the pending congressional
investigation OF the trust has been
INSPIRED largely by. charges OF la
Dor oppression. and the management
of the corporation itself, on the de-
Inland of sensitive stockholders, is to
institute an inquiry OF its own.
4 This Impeachment of the reputa-
tion of the steel trust as a model EN-
ployer doubtless grows out of the
findings OF the so-called Pittsburg
|suryey, which are now being pub
lished in series OF volumes on the
Russell Sage foundation, The vol
June dealing with the steel workers is
made up Of the reports OF John A.
Fitch, an expert in the New York de-
partment of labor, and consists of a
close personal study of the condi-
ltions of life and work among the
steel men Of the Pittsburg district
The volume is full of pictures of the
TYPES of workers of various races.
and illustrative of conditions of
work in the mills and life outside Of
the mills. II is . painstakins per-
lformance and calculated to carry con-
yiction to the mind of any reader.
He makes out bad case for the
steel companies In general. and for
the United States Steel corporation.
in particular. The amalgamated as
ISOLATION of iron and steel workers
had received a staggering blow In
the failure OF the bloody strike Of
Homestead, In 1892. and finishing
blow TO unionism in the steel dis
trict Of Pittsburg was given by the
great consolidation in 1901 under
the name OF the United States steel
corporation. Since that time the
workers ha.. disappeared as col
lective bargaining force in relation
to hours and wages. The employers
have had things entirely their own
way, and We are able TO see how
much better or how much worse la
Dor fares. under such conditions.
Since 1909 the cost OF living In
the Pittsburg district has risen on an
estimated average OF around 22 per
cent. Rents in some cases have
risen as much as 100 per cent, and
many other elements In the cost OF
living have risen more than the over
age: so that an average rise OF 20
per cent must b. regarded as a con-
seryatiye estimate. But II has been
found that wages on the whole have
hardly kept pace with the rise In liv-
ing costs. while at the same time the
hours OF labor have increased. Con-
tinuous operation is an essential in
the steel manufacture. When the
steel corporation arose the men UNI
Ider unionism we're working In three
relays Of eight hours each. Now they
are working In two relays of ~
hours each, and up to within a re-
cent time Sunday work was also gen.
Ierally required.
| Formerly most Of the employees In
a steel mill were skilled men. But
so great has been the substitution OF
lponderous machinery for skilled
hand worr that about so per cent. OF
employees are now unskilled. These
men work by the day and their
wages average under So. From 1902
70 1907 their pay increased about rs
per cent and per cent more was
added in 1910. Thus. aside from the
increased working hours these men
have faIred fairly well. Their wage
increase oyercomes the cost OF liv-
ing increase, and Mr.. Fitch comedies
that they are paid more BY the steel
corporation than by other steel en-
ployers round about
il Above the unskilled class Is a
class Of moderately skilled workmen
making up. say 35 per cent OF the
whole force. These men work By the
piece and while the rate has been
cut down radically since 1902 the
possible output per unit OF labor has
largely increased and 30 have the
hours. Accordingly the daily earn
ings Of this class are as large as be-
fore but not as much larger as the
cost Of living Is higher. This class
has thus lost ground under the trust.
Its earnings range up from say $3.50
to S. a day per man. But the class
Of labor 20 receive staggering blow
under the trust regime IL the 5 per
cent class OF highIy-skilled men who
used 70 be known az the a-iotocrata
OF the industry. Their earnings for
mcrly would run up as high az SIS a
day, and that too, on an eight hour
basis. Their rate OF pay has been 40
far reduced that on the basis Of ~
hours they can earn at best consid-
erably less than $40 as rule. And
meantime there has been this In.
crease In the cost OF living.
: uating orations.
Wednesday. June z. 1880 a. m.
II IL thus shown that under con-
oscillation In the steel industry and
the destruction % unIonism wages on
the whole have certainly not more