The Great Steel Strike and its Lessons

HE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE-GOMPERS' LETTER UNANSWERED-THE STRIKE VOTE-GAR

the time when they must establish principles and adjust grievances that would test the strength of the most powerful unions. Inability to do so means dissolution, either through a lost strike or by disintegration. Following in the wake of the newly formed steel workers' unions came a mass of such difficulties requiring immediate settlement. The demand for relief from the evils of long hours, low wages and miserable working conditions was

be checked at all costs and the movement kept upon a national basis. Therefore, the National Committee for Organizing Iron and Steel Workers called a general conference of delegates of steelworkers' unions of all trades through the entire industry, to take

ociation made a bid for separate consideration by the steel companies. By instru

, Louisville, K

lbert H. Ga

s, United States

ken,

r S

o address you as Chairman of the Executive Officers of the United States Steel Corporation on a matter which in the opinion of the representatives of the Amalg

common country. It is becoming more and more acute, and there is no telling when or where the storm clouds will break. It is the judgment of the represen

are asking that they be given consideration by the Corporation you are the Honorable Chairman of, in their respective crafts and callings, and also that as law-abiding citizens who

promote and insure that harmony and co-operation that should at all times exist between employer and employee to the end that all will

t of the aforesaid employees of your Corporation yo

Internation

er, Louis

Mr. Gary repl

TES STEEL

an's O

, May 20

. F.

ional Pr

ted Asso

el and Ti

burgh

r S

the patriotic duty of all good citizens to use their efforts in stemming

, which permits a man to engage in the different lines of employment, whether he belongs to a labor union

st judgment, we are rendering efficient patri

d regard

respec

Gary,

l with its officials kept them in the fold. Where the principle of solidarity was lacking outside pressure served th

legates in the history of the industry. The reports of the men present made it clearly evident that action had to be taken to defend the interests of their constituents. C

OLU

paign where our organizations control great numbers of the wor

ary, Charles Schwab, and other heads of these gigantic corporations have exp

ly quoted as defenders of the righ

s, discharging union men wholesale and otherwise trying to break up our organi

ganizing Iron and Steel Workers to enter into negotiations with the various steel companies to the end that better wages, shorter hours,

o the National Committee for Organizing Iron and Steel W

otiations with the steel companies: Samuel Gompers, Chairman of the National Committee; John Fitzpatrick, Acting Chairman; D. J. Davis, Amalgamated Association; Edw. J. Evans, E

FEDERATIO

lamac

ty, N. J.,

t H. Gary

tors, U. S. St

ork,

r S

e need of it, the convention of the American Federation of Labor decided to respond and give such assistance as is possible in order to

red the organization of more than 100,000 of the employees in the iron and steel indust

im to accomplish the purposes of our labor movement; that is, better conditions for the toilers, by Ameri

derstanding of each other's position in regard to conditions of labor, to hours, standards, etc., and after reaching an amicable unde

uthorized to suggest to you whether you will consent to hold a conference with a committee representing not only the iron and steel workers who are organ

is, Amalgamated Iron an

cutive board, Internationa

g International Brotherho

tee for Organizing Iron and Steel Workers and r

president Chicago

ontained in this letter meets with your approval and that a confe

may be favorable, to the American Feder

tfully

l Gom

erican Feder

trick has been President of the Chicago Federation of Labor for many years. He is a horseshoer by trade and one of America's sterling union men. Possessed of a broad idealism, unquestioned integrity, a magnetic personality and a wide know

ahead. Conditions in the steel industry were so unbearable that they had to exert their utmost power to right them, come what might. Therefore, after w

OLU

nd the unrest arising therefrom so intense that they can only be remed

eel corporations and the trade unions, representing many thousands of organized steel workers,

kers recommends to its 24 affiliated unions that they take a strike vot

le, July 20th, at 10 A. M., of representatives of all the co-operatin

sense of responsibility. But it had to recognize that the matter was wholly in the hands of Mr. Gary and his associates. The resolution to take a strike vote of the

collective

discharged for union activ

ght h

ay's res

ion of 24

fficient to guarantee Am

ges in all trades and cl

all overtime after 8 hour

of collecting union

pply in the maintenance, reducti

ion of com

cal examination of app

ht need relates to #9 and #12. The check-off was to apply only to the mining end of the steel industry, and the abolition of th

ngstown, Ohio, on August 20, it was found that every trade had voted overwhelmingly for a strike in case no settlement could be reached. Whole districts voted to a man in the affirmative. Of all the thousands of ballots cast in Homestead, Braddock, Rankin, McKeesport, Vandergrift, Pittsburgh and Monessen not one was in the negative. Donora produced one "no" vote, with the great Youngstown, Chicago and Cleveland

KE B

71 Broadway. He was in but refused to meet the Committee, requesting that its proposition be

, August

ary, Chairman Fi

tes Steel

way, New

r S

rican Federation of Labor, many thousands of men employed in the iron and steel industry made a

and, acting in behalf of them, we solicit of you that a hearing be given to the undersigned Committee, who have been selected by the duly accredited representatives of the

essenger that you wished to be excused from a personal interview at this time and requested us to have our business in wr

t meeting in another city on Thursday next and will leave New York at 5 o'clock on August 27, 1919. May we respectfully request th

truly

Fitzp

J.

Ha

J.

Z. F

mit

Mr. Gary repl

TES STEEL

of the

, August

J. Davis, William Hannon, Wm. Z.

tle

ication of August 26 i

the employees of the United States Steel Corporation and its subsidiaries. We

hop." They stand for the "open shop," which permits one to engage in any line of employment whether one does or does not belong to a labor union. This best promotes the welfare of both employees and employers. In view of the wel

living and working conditions, conservation of life and health, care and comfort in times of sickness or old age, and providing facilities for the general we

deration to employees as to show them their loyal and efficient service in t

tfully

Gary,

o yield his tyrannical position, the commit

City, Aug

rt H. Gar

, United States S

ay, New Y

r S

r Corporation, and we understand the first paragraph of your answer to be an absolute refusal

yees. The only way by which we can prove our authority is to put the strike vote in

flat refusal for such conference, which raises the question, if the accredited representatives of your employees and the international unions affiliated with the American Federation of Labor

ation in refusing to meet representatives of union labor. These subjects are matters that might well be discussed in conference. There has not

that exist. The conditions of employment, the home life, the misery in the hovels of the steel workers is beyond description. You may not be aware that the standard of life of the average steel worker is below the pauper line, which means that charitable institutions furnish t

n knowledge that the tactics employed by your Corporation and subsidiaries have for years most effectively prevented any attempt at organization by your employees

t will have expired when there will be no discretion left to the committee bu

hould obtain rather than that the al

d a common ground upon which

please address your communication to the National Hotel, Washingt

truly

Fitzp

J.

Ha

J.

Z. F

mit

conscious of the tremendous responsibility resting upon it, was equally decided to exhaust every possible means of adjustment before things came to a rupture. The committeeme

mmittee to present the matter to President Wilson, and to

diately admitted the justice of the committee's position. He stated frankly that he was entirely out of sympathy with employers who refused to meet with representatives of their workers for the purpose of bargaining collectively on

. The unions could wait no longer. They had to move or be annihilated. On September 4, the National Committee met and sent to President Wilson, who was on his ill-starred trip through the West advocatin

n, Septem

e Woodro

of the Uni

lis, Ind.

ain the indignation of the men and the resistance they declare it is their purpose to present. The Executive Committee, relying upon the case as presented to you last week and your earnest declaration to endeavor to bring about a conference for the honorable and peaceful adjustment of the matters in controversy, have thus far been enabled to prevail upon the men not to engage in a general strike. We cannot now affirm how much longer we will be able to exert that influence; but we urge you, in the great work in which you are engaged, to give prompt attention to this most vital of issues; for if th

el G

Fitzp

J.

Ha

J.

Z. F

as somewhat discouraged, but was continuing his efforts. The general opinion took this to be final, that Mr. Gary had definitely refused the President's request. But in order to make assurance doubly sure and to convi

n, Septem

e Woodro

of the Uni

aul H

ul, Mi

definite statement as to the possibility of an early conference being arranged by your efforts between the heads of the United States Steel Corporation and of the unions involved. Large numbers of men are being discharged and otherwise discriminated against and abused, and it will be impossible to hold our men much longer

Fitzp

F.

Ha

Z. F

t power of the Steel Trust and the eagerness with which the employing class would unite to give Organized Labor a heavy blow in the steel industry. The union representatives keenly realized the gravity of the situation and their heavy responsibilities. It was in this frame of mind that they could see no honorable way

legram they had received from Mr. Tumulty had said absolutely nothing about postponing the strike. Besides, since the President had asked Mr. Gary privately to grant his workers the conference they were seeking, and so gave him an opportunity to decline without publicity, it was incred

FEDERATIO

D. C., Sep

itzpatrick

mittee For O

eel Wo

ngton

. Fitzp

received a tele

N. Dak., Se

amuel

rican Federat

ngton

situation, the President desires to urge upon the steel men, through you, the wisdom and desirabili

. Tu

the past few days, in the conferences with the representatives of th

d their cause to endeavor to conform to the wish expressed by the President; that even though the corporations may endeavor to provoke the men to action, that they may hold themse

nally

l Gom

sid

Federatio

lson, clear and categoric; the other from Mr. Gompers, qualified by the hope that it could be done "without injury to the workers and their cause." To deny these powerful requests meant to be accused, in the first instance, of has

enville, Wheeling, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and many other points large numbers of men were being thrown out of work because of their union membership. Johnstown wa

ike asking one belligerent to ground arms in the face of its onrushing antagonist. The employers gave not the slightest sign of a truce. Long before anything

w at their oppressors, the opportunity of a generation was at hand, and they were not going to see it lost. They would not postpone indefinitely, and in all likelihood break up altogether, the movement they had suffered so much to build, in the vague hope that the Industrial conference, which they had no guarantee would even consider their case, and which was dominated by their arch enemies, Gary and Rockefeller, would in some distant day do something for them. Their determination to have the strike go on was intensified by the constant ding-donging of the Steel Trust propaganda in the mil

whole campaign, declared that an attempt to delay the strike, merely upon the strength of possible action by the Industrial conference, would result in the swift destruction of the movement under the worst of circumstances. The workers would be bound to

of cowardice and graft. In all probability the A. F. of L. would suffer one of the worst defeats in its history, and gain such an evil reputation among the steel workers that it could not approach them for many years, if ever, with an organization project. Or (2) it could go ahead with the strike, with a fighting chance

d to wire their international offices to cancel their instructions to vote for postponement. On September 18, D. J. Davis, Assistant President of the Amalgamated Association moved that September 22 be reaffirmed as the strike date. This

e to the fullest of our ability, notwithstanding the men are set for an immediate strike. But delay here means the surrender of all hope. This strike is not at the call of the leaders, but that of the men involved. Win or lose, the strike is inevitable and will continue until industrial despotism will recede from the untenable positio

el companies inviting conferences with them, the meeting adjourned and the organizers and delegates left to make good the follow

EPTEMBER

, are requested not to go to work on September 22, and to refuse to resume their employment un

rking conditions. But the employers have steadfastly refused to meet them. It therefore becomes our duty to support the committees' claims, in accordance with the practically unanimous strike vote, by refusing to work in the mills

era of prosperity will open for us in the steel industry. But if we falter and fail to act this great effort will be lost, and we will sink back

RK SEPT

al Com

ng Iron and

TNO

dent the National Committee has n

icials of the trade unions would have done, regardless of what the Committee would have done, the strike would have occurred anyway, a haphazard, loose, disjointed, unorganized strike, without leadership, without consultat