253] RESTRICTION OF OUTPUT 121 



The rolls are costly and the smooth chilled surface requires 

 careful treatment to prevent breakage and also to produce 

 a good quality of iron. Rolls are likely to be cracked by 

 too much pressure being put upon them, or by too sudden 

 changes of temperature. The rolls are heated from the 

 hot metal which passes between them, and unless the heat 

 is regulated by the output — that is, by the number of bars 

 passed between them — the expansion and contraction to 

 which they are subject may cause them to break. For this 

 reason, employers contend that there should be no arbitrary 

 limitation, and that the conditions under which the rolls 

 should be operated ouglit to be left to the judgment of the 

 foreman and the skilled workmen. If the rolls are not in 

 proper condition, the sheets will be unevenly rolled, caus- 

 ing them to " buckle," 



At the solicitation of the sheet manufacturers the Amal- 

 gamated Association called an "expanded sheet confer- 

 ence" in December, 1903, and modified the restriction of 

 output, making it more liberal. The limit was increased 

 from nine heats, or 135 pairs of bars, to 10 heats, or 150 

 pairs, to take effect January i, 1904. The rule was modi- 

 fied in another respect. It was provided that the new limit 

 was to be the average daily output during the " pay period," 

 which is usually a fortnight. Previous to this time, no 

 shortage for a particular day could be made up on another 

 day.^° 



The new limit did not long meet the requirements. The 

 members wilfully persisted in making overweight, and the 

 company tacitly encouraged it. A rule was adopted that all 

 overweight or surplus earnings should be collected by the 

 lodge, in addition to a fine for violating the scale.^" These 

 measures were ineffective, since the sentiment of the work- 



26 Proceedings, 1904, p. 6914. The next year, the number of extra 

 pairs per turn to make up shortage was limited to 15 (Proceedings, 

 1905, p. 7iS4)- 



-0 Proceedings, 1905, p. 7428. The " overweight secretary," it was 

 provided, should receive twenty-five per cent of all overweight col- 

 lected. 



