The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-29
WAGE AGREEMENT
PUZZLES IRON MEN
Trade Is Mystified by Seen.
ing Inconsistency in Ac.
ton at Atlantic City.
TIN PLATE MILLS Buster
Most Furnaces in Valley,
Lake Front and Central
West Districts Sold ID.
TIN PLATE MILLS BUSTER
Special Despatch 10 THE suS

PITTsBURG, June 2S.-The main ,o,,,
of interest in the iron and steal TRAD.
this week was the sheet mill wage al.
vances s@reed on at Atlantic City. NAB.
ing an average Of SO per cent for the
whole crew and Of 2.6 per cent for tin
mills. Iron and steel men could not IN.
derstand why the Amalgamted Asso.
citation should make such extreme wag.
demands as were embodied in the Louis
vile convention scale. but having for.
INFLATED those demands, 1t was equally
mysterious that the union should recede
30 completely from them at the initial
conference. The demands included short
ening the shift from eight to six hours
in order that mills would work four
turns instead of three, and one-thir1
more men would have to be employed.
advancing the basis rates all round by
% per cent. and peGglng the scales as
to their sliding feature at 81 for tin
plate and ABS cents as the average of2627
and rs gauge sheets. 1t is estimated that
the Amalgamated Association controls
less than half of the sheet mills or the
tin plate mills AS rule non-union
mills pay scale rates or higher. and It
is barely possible that the association
officials thought that the non-union men
would join them In contest. which has
not been made apparent in the attl-
tude of the latter class.
During the last week the American
Sheet and Tin Plate Company has op-
Grated its tin plate mills at the rate Of
65 per cent. of capacity, which is the
highest rate for several weeks. Inde-
pendent mills have increased their o,-
erations, although their average is still
considerably below 65 per cent A good
sized plant that was operating at only
10 per cent. is working at 40 per cent,
Tin Plate Demand Improves.
An improvement is shown in the de-
mand for tin plate on the part OF makers
of packers cans, although that business
is still far from good, making nothing
like favorable comparison with the
record of other years at this date. The
market is reported as being firmly held
on all material placed for rolling. Various
stocks of misft material, produced dur
ing the war, are moving slowly at such
prices as are necessary to interest con-
sumers.
Business in sheets is good, careful
estimate of the total bookings since the
first of the month showing rs per cent Of
capacity, which Is higher rate than tbs
mills have been operating. The leading
interests bookings have been at a
greater rate in proportion TO capacity
than the bookings of the Independents
as a whole. but a few OF the last named
have been booking practically at capac.
ity. Mill operations this week averaged
fully 20 per cent. as whole. The Lead
ing interest. which Is rated at 80 per
cent Of capsrity. operated at 10 per cent
OF capacity, ITS best rate for long tUe-
and 1t has orders on books that might
justify slightly higher operating rata
There has been a further increase IN
the demand for butt and lap weld pipe,
the latter named running beyond the ca
pacity Of the mills. which are falling be-
hind in deliveries. A large interest IS
turning down more than half tLs lap
weld business offered 1t. Butt weld
bookings represent in the neighborhsod
of rs per cent. of capacity and are In
creasing at such a rate that mills ey-
pect to be operating in full in their but
weld departments by about Septembe! /.
The lap weld demand is largely FOR Of.
country goods Pipe prices are firm all
along the line. A few weeks ago there
was more or less shading. which gra3l-
ally is disappearing. The Republic lroa
and Steel Company is installing imprvei
threading machinery In us zap "eId ne-
partment. which will be able TO Keep
ahead OF its furnaces.
Sheet Bars About Normal
This week saw Improvement in de-
nand for sheet bars. which are abou.
normal. corresponding to about Is r.r
cent. Of sheet mill operation, which mil,
that use purchased bars are likely 20 at
tain very soon. As formerly. there f..
scarcely any contracting. sheet mills
simply placing necessary weekly ordc-.
Prices are being held strictly az the reg
ular SAP level. There was some shading
few weeks ago, but II seems to have
been eliminated.
There continues 10 be light demand
for billets There is no question m me
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