The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-10
The Principles OF Trades Unions.

W lue nl1HeSL prdCslC3Dic pOIut lhc idIe VI
wages. The means used for attaining thi;
object are various. anil more or less calcu-
lated to gain the point; but they all tend in
that direction. They are usually embodied
in code of rules; and to these the masters
have given, in many instances, formal as
sent-necessity rather than inclination ex-
plains this agreement OF the English en-
ployers to subscribe to set OF regulations
the effect of which is to limit their power, to
reduce their profits, and to take, to some ex-
tent, the conduct OF their business out OF
their own hands.
In describing the restrictions which the
English Trades Unions endeavor to impose
upon the freedom of contract between en-
ployer and workman, it must be promised
that all the rules which will be passed in
review do not prevail throughout al the
associations. Some Of them are repudiated,
to partial extent, by particular Unions;
but it may be safely said that wherever the
Union system is consistently and fully de-
veloped, these rules are in operation, and are
enforced or liable to be enforced, by agencies
to be noticed hereafter.
The principal articles of the codes OF the
English Trades Unions, as described by q
reviewer two years ago, are the following:
l. The imposition OF certain minimum
rate below which wages shall not fall. The
employer is not indeed, precluded from pay-
ing a higher rate than this standard to
workmen of superior skill or ability, but he
is prohibited from paying lower rate to
any man, although he may judge him to be
and the fact may be so-an inferior hand.
And even though the workman may be will
ling to take less, he is not allowed to do so.
| 2. The limitation OF the hours Of labor.
Whatever moral or sanitary grounds may
be urged in support of this claim, and they
are many, it is clear that when workmen
demand reduction Of the hours OF work,
without q corresponding decrease of pay,
it is simply equivalent to asking higher
rate OF wages.
s. The prohibition of piece work. The
objections made by several Of the witnesses
before the Roya! Commission to this mode
OF working, were based on its tendency to
produce inferior and dishonest workman
ship; but the more candid admitted that
their dislike was founded on the fact that it
formed too greet stimu,ant to eXection on
the part Of the men and opened the eyes Of
the masters to what men working for their
own advantage could dc; thus furnishing
an inducement to lower the pay OF those who
worked by time.
4. The interdiction in certain cases Of
rachinery and of methods BY which hand
labor may be economizcd.
5. Tie prohiaition oi the employment OF
any class of workmen in any matter beyond
the strict line Of their own special division
of labor; and the limitation within each
district to the use OF materials worked or
prepared BY the laborer Of that district.
6. Regulations having for their object to
check the zeal and rapidity OF workmen who
might be inclined to get on too fast with
their work. and thus raise the standard of
efficiency against their fellows to the advan-
tage Of the employer.
I. The limitation of the number Of ap-
prenticos i'll proportion to the journeymen
employed, and similar restriction on The
employment OF boys, the rule being fixed,
in both cases, not with reference to the Elf
cheney OF the laborer, hut to the supposed
interests OF the other workma1.
Lastly Tie exclusion of the nOr-Ua;on
neil from working along With, or in lieu OF,
Un.olists. THIS is a cardinal point with II
large numter Of Unous, and goes 10 the
root Of the controversy between the advo-
Gates Of Union principles and their oppo-
nents.
All Of the foregoing regulations Ore not
in force in this country, and everywhere.
local interests and conditions limit and gov
ern their application. But each article of
the code involves principle fought for, or
fought against by URicniSt5 or employers,
and in order that bc.a classes may compre-
hend the whole subject, we shall consider
each branch OF it as carefully as though
Unionisn in its most stringent form obtained
throughout the South. At present, there is
lamen.able LACK OF knowledge in regard
to Trades Unions. Many workmen expect
more than the Unions can possibly give
them Many employers. on the other side.
believe that Trades Unions are tho enemies
of progress and the encouragers OF turmoil
and agitation. To correct the errors Of
both employer and workman; to point out
where harm is done, and where substantial
benefit may safely be obtained; to instruct
the workingman and the capitalist in re-
gard to their rights and responsibilities
this is what we hope and desire TO do.