Description
Shot of superintendent George Pfeil walking on plant grounds. Pfeil made his dissatisfaction of the strike known early, posting the following ultimatum on the initial day of the walkout: "The hasty and unconsidered action of such of our men as have gone out will be overlooked provided they return to work on Monday [June 15th] morning. From such as do not report we shall expect to have a reasonable excuse for their absence, otherwise they will be considered as having quit and will be dropped from the roll." The company backed off from this proclamation however and an agreement with the workers was reached in a peaceful manner much unlike other more violent strikes of the era such as the 1909 Pressed Steel Car Company strike in McKees Rocks. The 1914 strike at the Union Switch & Signal Plant began on June 12th when between 1,100 and 1,400 employees walked out at lunch time to picket and join some 2000 strikers from other Westinghouse plants marching on Edgewood and Braddock Avenues in Swissvale. Organized by the Allegheny Congenial Industrial Union, the strikers demanded an eight-hour day, reinstatement of discharged union men, permission for workmen to elect grievance committees, and higher overtime and holiday rates. The union claimed victory upon culmination of the walkout on June 27th, saying that the company had agreed to allow committees and consider the other grievances. Company general manager H.G. Prout dismissed these claims however, asserting that no promises were made to the employees.
Subjects
Swissvale (Pa.); Union Switch and Signal Company.; Labor unions--Pennsylvania--Swissvale.; Men--Pennsylvania--Swissvale.; Edgewood Avenue (Swissvale, Pa.); Strikes and lockouts--Pennsylvania--Swissvale.; Allegheny Congenial Insdustrial Union.; Pfeil, Geor
