l8l3 JURISDICTION 49 



joined the Knights of Labor. The skilled men of the nail 

 factory, however, organized an Amalgamated lodge so as 

 to get the higher scale. The local union was composed of 

 heaters, rollers, and roll hands of the nail mill. One day 

 a crane broke, and since the Knights of Labor agreement, 

 under which the men were working, provided that " only 

 actual tonnage" be paid for, the men, realizing it would 

 require several hours to repair the crane and that they 

 would not get a full day's work, went home. The manager 

 next morning discharged them. 



Both unions, each claiming jurisdiction, took up negotia- 

 tions in an attempt to effect a settlement. The executive 

 committee of the Amalgamated legalized a strike February 

 10. A joint committee of both organizations was suggested 

 but refused. The Knights declared the mill open, and 

 endeavored to start it up. The manager, after ten days, 

 since the Knights were unable to operate the plant, arranged 

 a conference with the Amalgamated Association, and signed 

 a scale. 



In 1886 the Knights of Labor invited the Amalgamated 

 to join them.^^ The ofifer was submitted to a vote of the 

 local unions, and almost unanimously refused. The next 

 convention forbade members of the Association to belong 

 to the Knights " after April i, 1888."^- This action served 

 to accentuate the breach between the two organizations. 

 The Knights organized "National District Assembly 217, 

 Iron, Steel and Blast Furnacemen, Knights of Labor," and 

 applied to the American Federation of Labor for a charter 

 which was not granted.^^ To this assembly the Knights 

 admitted, in the words of Secretary Martin, " anybody and 

 everybody working in and around rolling mills and steel 

 mills." The first annual convention was held in Pittsburgh, 

 June 4, 1888, and eighty delegates were reported from eight 



81 Proceedings. 1886, pp. 1-806-1808. 



22 National Labor Tribune, June 25, 1887, p. 4, col. 3; Proceedings, 

 1887, p. 2129. 

 ** Financial Statement for (|uarter ending October 31, i88g, p. 4. 



