how does tamoszius explain the pecking order of the industry to jurgis?

In this chapter, Jurgis learns the way employment works. It's not so much the pecking order, per se, but the lengths you are willing to go that improve your employment opportunities.

Jurgis is thankful for his job; he even enjoys it, but he can't understand the grumblings of the other men around him. He is also anti-union, he doesn't understand 'rights' for workers because he's never had any experience with it. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the money to pay union dues either, and he refuses unionization.

When Jurgis approaches Tamoszius about Antanas' job offer, he knows that money was required. Tamoszius then explains to him that it's all about the 'greasing of palms' per se, that the go betweens make offers on behalf of their bosses, who ultimately want to make as much as they can. This exchange os money takes place from the top to the bottom of the system in which they work, everybody wants some extra money........... from the owner to the foreman.