New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-08-03
x HOU. GAY ENDS
IN Steel INDUSTRY
Workers Will Get Higher Rate
But Will Earn Less

New York, Aug. 3,--Plans TO abol,
tsh the 12-hour day in the steel in
dustry, adopted at meeting of the
directors of the American Iron and
Steel Institute at the Metropolitan
club yesterday. will be pushed forward
without unnecessary delay, said Judge
Ebert H. Gray. president of the In
stitute, In a statement following the
meeting.
The action taken by the Institute
was the elimination of series OF
conferences which began late in June
after President Harding had asked the
Institute to pledge that II would abol-
ish the 12-hr. day which conditions of
labor warranted that course. The
presidents request was made on June
Is and on June ~ the directors of the
Institute wrote to the president saving
they were determined to exert every
effort at their command Ito secure In
the iron and steel industry of this
scountry total abolition of the IL
hour day at the earliest time prac-
Fticable."
Judge Gary's statement follows:
.FoIlowing the correspondence be-
.tween President Harding and the Steel
Institute, and as result of the most
bpainstaking investigation. manufactur-
bers OF iron and steel, representing sub
Estantially the entire industry of this
tcountry, will now begin the total elm
.ination of the 12-hour day and Will
progress as rapidly as the supply OF
habor will permit. 1t is impossible to
ksay when the changes will be com
tpleted. It will depend upon labor
Eonditions at respective plants. There
will be no unnecessary delay on the
tpart OF anyone.
Increase in Hours Pay Scale
Where the hours of employees con-
tnected with continuous process are re-
tduced from IL to hours, their wage
|rates will be so adjusted as to afford |
Warnings equivalent to Is per cent |
Increase In hourly and base rates,
"AIl other workmen will be on ten |
hours or less and their present hour
E1y and base rates will be continued;
sbut whenever 1t is practicable, by
promotions or changes in position,
lthe daily earnings will be accordingly
adjusted"
It was announced that Judge Gary
would have nothing further to say.
Earlier in the day a conference of Of
Ulcers of all concerns subsidiary to the
limited States Steel Corporation, was
held at II Broadway.
Officials did not make available fig
mes indicating how the plan to elini-
nate the twelve-hour day would work
out, but it is estimated that the
change will add approximately Is per
cent, or $45,o00,0oo, annually to the
cost of manufacturing steel.
Judge Gary has estimated that 3d. !
900 additional men are needed in the
steel mills to make the total elimina-
ton of the twelve-hour day possible.
It is understood that approximately |
rs per cent OF the 100000 employees {
Of the United States Steel Corpora
ticn are working on the two-shift
schedule of twelve hours each. Most
of these employees are said to receive
40 cents an hour, or $3.50 for 9
twelve-hour day. A rs per cent in {
employees are to receive SO cents an G
hour, or 81 for an eight hour day. In 2
actual wages they will lose 50 cents a t
day, but they will gain four hours of
leisure. a
Conference With President.
Eighteen months ago Judge Gary S
and group Of steel manufacturers S
conferred in Washington with Presi- +
dent Harding, who requested the steel Il
men to study the possibility of the II
Introduction of a working day Of C
eight hours The committee was 9
widely representative of the steel in t.
dustry and included besides Judge A