273] COLLECTIVE BARGAINING 14! 



employers. In 1882 an association of manufacturers was 

 instituted in Pittsburgh. The avowed object of this organi- 

 zation was " to attend to wages and labor. "^*^ When the 

 conferences between the union and the manufacturers failed 

 to result in an agreement, the scale was presented by the 

 union to individual firms. Frequently, as for example in 

 1885, after one employer had signed the union scale, the 

 rest, although reluctant, would follow suit.^^ In 1888 a 

 committee of manufacturers appeared personally before the 

 delegates of the union assembled in convention. The argu- 

 ments of the employers, however, had little weight, and no 

 general conciliatory agreement was reached. The associa- 

 tion of manufacturers was again dissolved, each member 

 being authorized to act in his individual capacity relative to 

 signing the scale. In 1890 the union held a conference 

 with the Pittsburgh Iron Manufacturers, and the scale thus 

 arranged was presented to mills in the West and South for 

 signature. ^^ 



In 1893 the plan of holding divisional conferences was 

 adopted. There were three divisions : one for the boiling 

 department, including also scrapping and busheling, muck 

 mill rolling, and knobbling; another, for the manufacturers 

 of bar, guide, plate, structural and jobbing; and a third, for 

 sheet, tin, and black-plate manufacturers.^^ Later, sepa- 

 rate conferences were held with the sheet and the tin-plate 



1" The immediate purpose of the formation of an employers' asso- 

 ciation was to resist the union demand for a $6 per ton boihng rate 

 in 1882; and it was effective in doing this, as the outcome of the 

 "Pittsburgh strike of 1882" bears testimony. It was distinct from 

 the Western Iron Association, whose primary function was to fix 

 prices. The organization was known as the Amalgamated Associa- 

 tion of Manufacturers of Iron, Steel and Nails; its elected officers 

 were A. F. Keats, president, and Joseph D. Weeks, secretary (Na- 

 tional Labor Tribune, June 17, 1882, p. 4, col. 2; January 24, 1885, p. 

 4, col. 2). The need of sucii an organization of employers was urged 

 by such organs as the Iron Age (quoted in the Iron Molders' Jour- 

 nal, September 10, 1876) and tlie Journal of Industry (Pittsburgh), 

 June 22, 1880. 



11 National Lal)or Tribune, 1885, issues of May 9, 30, Juno 6, 13, 

 20 and 27. 



" Proceedings, i8gi, pp. 3357-3350- 



13 Proceedings, 1893, pp. 4202-4203. 



I 



