New-York tribune., 1922-08-23
W ages Raised
20 Per. Cent
By. U. S. Steel
Gary Announces Increase,
Making Minimum for
10000 of 226, 900
Men SO Cents am Hour

wien 30 Cents am Hour
Following the announcement OF the
United States Steel Corporation yes
terday afternoon increasing the wages
of its unskilled employees 90 per cent,
effective September l., it is expected
that several of the large independent
steel companies will take similar ac-
ton. Tive other concerns, the Midvale
Steel and Ordnance Company and the
Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company,
announced like increases in pay.
1t was rumored in Wall Street that
employees of the following companies
may also look for a rise in wages:
Bethlehem Steel Corporation. Lacka-
wanna Steel, Inland. Crucible and 9TH
ers. However, these companies have
not yet indicated that thew will fall
in line with the leading factor in the
Industry.
Pay Goes to Sc Cents Hourly
The Steel Corporations anfiounce-
mefit was made By Ebert H. Gary,
head Of the Organization. Approx
nately 10000 of the corporations
100000, workers will be affected by the
rise, which increases their paw from 90
cents to .abeut 36 cents an hour. Judge
Gary's short announcement stated that
"other rates will be equitab1y adj
justed." This was interpreted as mean.
ing that nieti employed In the mining
and transportation departments also
would receive an advance in pay.
The Midvale company in the an
nouncement that came within q few
hours Of the other stated that officials
could not say how many men would be
affected, nor exactly what the new rate
for day labor would be. Action had
been taken 80 quickly. IT was said, that
examine the pay roll. However, be-
cause Of the depression in business, it
was pointed out that working forces
had been considerably reduced.
$4,000 Benefit at Youngstown
The 20 per cent advance in wages of
unskilled labor in the, Youngstown
Sheet and Tube Company will affect
about 10000 men.
Although Judge Garys statement
failed to give any explanation for the
present wage advance, it was said to
have been made necessary because Of
shortage of labor and the higher
rates of pay in other industries. 1t
is also believed to be reflection of
the increased demand for steel prod
ucts and the settlement of the btu
minous coal strike at the old wages.
Eugene G. Grace. president of the
Bethlehem Steel Corporation, said in
the latter connection a few days ago
that the agreement between the miners
and the operators would establish a
precedent that would result in higher
costs for STEEL
The present increase in the pay Of
the workers Of the Steel Corporations is
the first since February l, 1920. Avhen
the rate was raised to Az cents an
hour Following this, there was series
Of reductions which culminatedi in the
drop of last August to so cents, in
cluding the elimination Of overtime
allowances.
The rate to become affective on Sep
tember is 80 per cent above the pre-
war average, but is 28,9 per cent below
the peak of 1920, (which amounted to
$5.06 q day for ten hours work, includ-
ing time and half for overtime.
During 1921, when the steel mills of
the country were running at an abnor-
mally low rate, there was considerable
migration Of labor to other industries.
When operations began to expand it
was difficult to attract labor back to
an industry in which the high ESD hourly
rate was So cents, compared %-eth as
high as 45 cents in other lines. In
order to get their former workers to re-
turn the Steel Corporation met the
problem by an increase in it's pay roll.
Steel Up 16 Per Cent
Prices of iron and steel products have
advanced on an average of is per cent
from the lows of last February. In
heavy products such as bars, plates and
shapes the advance has been much
greater, running close to SO per cent.
The present state Of the steel market
indicates that still further price adj
vances are contemplated in the near
future.
Opinions varied in the financial dis
trict about the probable effect the in
crease would have on labor generally
To some it was believed that this is a
blow to union labor, because of the
open shop policy Of the United States
Steel Corporation. Organized en-
ployees of several of the independents
will be paid lower wages, it is said
than the unorganized workers of the
bigger organization.
On the other hand, it was pointed out
that when the leaders of the railroad
workers meet the executives of the car.
riers for further conferences on the
wage question this will be an argu-
ment on the part Of the men, particu.
larly those in the shopcrafts now on
strike. The rail union leaders, it was
upholding the seniority rights of the
otrslk knr