The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1922-08-23
STEEL COMPANIES
INCREASE WAGES
20 Per Cent Advance for All Laborers
in Plants
NEWS BIG SURPRISE
Others Expected to Follow Action
@ Taken by Three Large
Corporations
NEWS BIG SURPRISE

New York, Aug. 22.--(By the AS
sociated Press.)-Three big steel
corporation, employing normally
nearly 100000 workers today an
nounced 20 per cent wage increase
for all laborers in their manufac-
turing plants. The United States
Steel Corporation took the lead, but
was quickly followed by the Mid
vale Steel and Ordnance Company
and the Youngstown Sheet and
Tube Company.
In the absence of Charles Schwab
and Eugene Grace Of the Bethlehem
Steel Corporation no other official
Of That company would commit
! himself. Secretary Brown said, how
ever, he did not know Of any ac-
tion that had been taken on the
wage question, President Matthews,
of the Crucible Steel Corporation,
said his company had taken no ac
ton "as YETI 1t was generally be-
lieved in financial circles that all
important independent steel firms
would announce increases within
few days.
News of the increases came as u
surprise to the financial district.
Wage adjustments in other indus
tries have been generally down.
ward. 1t was followed by slight re-
cessions in the prices of steel
shares.
No, explanation of che increase
was given by the steel corporations.
However, tits known that the i'm
migration law has cut off the sup
ply Of unskilled laborers which for
merly drifted to the iron and steel
centers- When the labor shortage
became acute last spring and the
steel industry began to show signs
of rehabilitation temporary relief
was afforded by the employment of
men thrown out of work by the coal
strike.
Resumption Of coal mining and
the increasing demand for laborers
the expected business revival this
fall, is reported to have caused ap-
prehension among mill managers,
who feared that the higher wages
elsewhere would cause sufficient
desertions to hamper their opera
tions.
The United States Steel Corpora
tion employs approximately 100000
men, of whom 10000 are affected
by the wage increases.
The highest rate paid by the
company for day labor was forty
seven cents an hour from February
to May, 1920. On May 16, 1920, &
reduction Of 20 per cent was an
nounced and in July of the same
year overtime was eliminated. On
August 10, 1921, day labor was re-
duced to thirty cents an hour, the
rate now in effect. The increase
will bring the rate up to thirty-six
cents an hour.
Average Pay Roll
The average pay roll of the COR
poration during 1913, the banner
year, was over $45O,0OO,O0O, but it
droppeds to about $332,000,O00 in
1921, when there were approx
mately 10000 men employed.
A forecast Of what is to come
10 seen in the large orders for
rolling stock recently received by
railroad equipment companies. The
demand in other lines is also grow
ing and there is much rush work
on hand, which calls for forces in
many plants in excess Of the num-
her now available. In this connec-
tion it is reported that little sue
cess has been obtained thus far
in inducing men laid off in the dull
period a year ago to return at the
wages prevailing before the in
crease just announced. Many Of
these men have loft the steel
centers.