New-York tribune., 1920-11-14
Steel Workers
Show Increase
In Efficiency
c.oo,erProduction Obtained
With Smaller Forces in
MANY Mills: Wage Advance
for One Group Granted
Idle Flock to Pittsburgh
uIudesirables Rounded Up by
Police: Industrial Situa-
,;on Shows No Change
,sc, pisnntch 70 The 4r4pune

II pIJISDOh11t ANVN+ Az fOAANS VI
] ,.n.ful waiting marks the steel in
,.s.rv. There is no notable change in
l ). status of the market, no increase
:. orders, no great decrease in bust.
| ..ess and no general shifting in prices
..ber upward or downward, but there
.,s several interesting developments
- labor conditions in the steel in
ldustry.
Perhaps the most interesting is the
.s,, that both sheet and tin mill work
| Az nave received an advance in wages,
,ss first in several months. Next in
| ;nterest is the observation of manu-
| sse.uers that workers are disposed to
;risct more effort into their werk than
ior many a long month, with the re-
mlt where the forces have been
.iehtly reduced, the output has not
Sminished, but has, in some instances,
.town signs of increasing.
sbo has a job had better hang on to
4 and make himself valuable in it,
ud leading manufacturer here to-
Ig. Several mills have established
sew tonnage records without augment
ing their forces by single man. The
.ommon labor situation in the Pitts
t,urgh district has improved by the
l i,sux Of workers from the mid West
rites, who were thrown out of work
ISy the closing down of motor car and
:ubber factories. With this flowing
In there came also q number of vaga-
bonds Of workers not averse to ac-
sduiring living by graft and thievery,
( l. $,2 7,@
| Of the City Of Pittsburgh by the Po-
l!ce Department. several hundred un-
iiesirables having been arrested in the
lss. few days. Rumors to the effect
hat this cleanup was movement to
ret IS many as possible of the trouble
makers in labor and l. w. W. circles
sst Of the steel region are unfounded.
Increase for Workers
Both sheet and tin mill workers were
advanced for the November-D
period as result of the bi-monthly
examination Of sales sheets conducted
November II, at Warren, between rep
,ssentatives Of the Western Sheet and
Tnplate Manufacturers Association
md the Amalgamated Association of
hon. Steel and Tin Workers. 1t was
'eund that the average price of Nos.
g. 27 and rs gage black sheets had
.iVanced during the last sixty days
rom $40 cents to $50 cents, or two
points, emitting sheet mill employees
70 an increase of s per cent on the
sase. Under the new rate they are
paid 1862 per cent above base.
| There also was an advance in the tin
nil scale, which had remained sta
.onary for the last three bi-monthly
periods. The actual average invoiced
Price Of box of 100 pounds of coke
anplate prime sheets was found to be
NO on shipments for the last sixty
ays. an advance from S7.40. the price
zach had prevailed for six months.
ms seyen-point increase gives tin mill
sofSers an advance Of rs per cent to
Ins per cent above base.
The examination was conducted with
r. Tighe, Of this city, president of
as ANA gamated Association, repre-
satlng the men, and A. N. Flora, vice
lrssident OF the Trumbull Steel Com
9aAy' acting for the manufacturers.
Must Keep Teams Working
Vae leading employer of labor in
as steel business pointed out that
FORK in a steel mill is not like that in
.as ordinary factory, where large num-
N's Of men are laid off whenever a de-
resslon occurs. He said: "Work
.,ouhd steel mill is done by crews
skllied men, each member Of which
.s definite part TO play. Naturally,
ssfeloree, when Stacking off of roll
1%g schedules occurs the only policy
'aen can be followed is to reduce the
slOunt Of work assigned each crew,
'aI not to lay off any of the men"
cancellation of an order for $4,000
@as o. black sheets has been received
tY youngstown district maker from
petroit manufacturer of metal con-
aherS, and is one of the conspicuous
ssslopments of the week in the sheet
~assst. A Chicago jobbing interest is
IgUrled to have placed an order for
@ .sV tons of black sheets at $50 cents
MI. IN nearby territory. For the
-uss part, howeverfi new sheet busi-
annages. ~ '0S
fr aiey pipe makers received portion
we 9V,OO0-ton award of l2-inch and
s,nsh pipe let by the Prairie Pine Line
Gsmpany during the week. The Spane-
.asnaht Company, Inc, at Etna, re-
s.sea an order for $4,000 tons of 12-
aea pipe from a California concern
'arng the week.
tne pig iron market is still in a
,rasscent state, though sale of basic
uA Is reported at $50, which is down
'Vm 1880, the recent nominal level
Fuel Prices Lower
luel prices seem to have reached =
mmpOrsry level, with steam coal SELL
y:aa' at $3.50 mine, gas coal at $3.50 to
msO, depending on grade and coLe
ION 80 to $40 at the ovens A sale Of
SsSSiaue coke is reported, however. at
4 St,;us Ivy large industrial consumer.
not Up steel prices are softer, and both
IN aau colo rolled may be obtained at
WIN Delow recent quotations.
5sia.'e s,i,s. business conditions are not
1issii 1iii4s & al present, leading steel men
ssnt tsoehdent that when the readjust-
10 wi w prices comes after the first of
an.,.f ,esf tnere will be an increasing
se t 49,. Tor their products, and they
p,y hSsicipatlng h an unprecedented ex-
Euonu"u BUSINESS to supply the wants Of
:arlyp :alps Predictions are made that by
H. boa next spring the mills will again
ssys;,a y;,ning, and feeling of optimism
q sbs, sb's. as There have been no further
tie sv~hs ,sv In the last few days, but, at
1Nsossss lame time, no resumption of idle
l Is Vr departments is noted.
some fns @ already prepared mature,
aens w;,S improvements and exten-
N,ant. ;ni De made on some of the big
Nar ~ n th's valley during the coming
sann.dn " lis, Is estimated that new work
sast 81 non wlll mean an expenditure of at
Fb.s .s,mspoo,Oo0 or $s,000,0O0.
forks 10 homestead and Duquesne steel
nd ere making a splendid showing,
ained ge production of steel is being
sthesss sas ~. at each plant: All the mills
snas;rswo swo plants are in operation at
aom, with ample orders on hand.
G.. s--------