The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-11-13
FOREMEN I'M UNIONSf

FOREMEN I'm UNIONS!
The propriety or imprU priety of admitting
foremen as members of trades unions, is,
We fear with too many, sIll q disputed
point. While we admit the reasons offered
by those who are opposed to their
admission az entitled to careful con-
sideratiOn, we believe they are neither
arguments presented BY those who favor q
different line Of policy. The expediency,
not to say justice, Of excluding the class Of
men, Who, above al Othcrs, are capable Of
thwarting the designs Of unprincipled
employers, who, in fact, might become
the very pillars, the sentinels Of Our
union organisations, and placing them no
lens voIens in q hostile attitude, may we'll
be called in question.
We believe there are few OF our readers
who werc ever engaged in strike who
have not realized that the failure or success
Of the movement depended IN . great meas
ure on the attitude assumed BY the fore
men. In many establishments the routine,
the intricacies Of business, the orders, the
work on hand, when promised, or the abil-
titles Of the various employees are known
only to him. II he refuses co direct, OF
make common cause with the employees, no
one can I'll his position, especially at such q
time. II however, as is too often the case,
he is made to realize that be is looked upon
with suspicion or distrust, that be is placed
without the pale Of union organizations, no
matter how his sympathies run, thus crca-
ting barrier between himself and fellow
Workmen which virtually says: eve are
satisfied you cannot or will not do justice
to both; your interests or preferences will be
on the side Of the employer, consequently
the safest plan ia to refuse admission to
every foreman" the result may be antici-
pated.
II the societies who reason from these
premises, would reflect for a moment that
the foreman, by their OtG1.ecticn, is placed
in antsgonism to their interests; that be
bias no Iealty or pledge Of honor to break,
no bond Of sympathy to rupture, and be is
made to realize where his interest is centred
simply because his fellow workmen have
drawn the line Of demarcation, a more com
prehensive view would be taken Of the mat
ter.
If We Look at the results, we find when a
foreman is in league with an employer, be
is invariably made the confident that a
change is impending, and Instructed 10 fig
ure accordingly. Now, 90 where y GU may,
men will be found who are lick-spittles or
eavesdroppers, who are union men because
it is profitable or popular to be so; who are
always the defenders Of the action of fore.
man or employer; who are ready, whenever
It is demanded to sever their tconnecsion
With union, if thereby their situations
may be retained. These men are invariably
known TO such fore nan, and "booked'' for
the emergency. The employer, therefore,
is prepared by the knowledge Of these facts
to commence his aggressive" policy. The
slack season 10 generally selected, or when
surplus stock is on hand. The test is now
apPlied-cautiously at 6rst-the weak
kneed aCquiescing in the necessity Of the
change. The foreman is also the apologist,
and by this means the clique is strengthened
and the union weakened. And when at
last the mask is thrown Of, the toole, after
= feigr ed resistance resume work under
the plea that necessity compelled them, or
that the "trike" was unjusti6able. The
employer thus accomplishes his purpose.
The foreman aud the "recreants" form a
nucleus for future operations, AID a suffi-
Gent force to run the establishment till the
busy season returns, when 1t is expected the
funds Of the "strikers'' will have become
exhausted, and they be compelled to resume
work on the terms offered. This we have
reason to know has been the mOdus OperGndi
recently adopted by more than one firm in
he city Of Chicago.
Ever since the organization Of the Typo
Union, these truths have been re-
,ognized and acted upon, and the result is
hat its firmest, stauncheSt members may
be found among the foremen Of the union
offices. As an evidence that such is the
Ease, We will state that the only unsuccess-
ful strike ordered by that body was owing
to the fact that the foreman" imported
fOr the occasion proved recreant to bis obi
cations, while it was admitted on all hands
hat if he had made common cause with bis
ellOw workmen the employers would have
oeen compelled to acoede to the request
within twenty four hours.
Let union mechanics give these facts
,areful consideration, and we believe many
II them will see that a more suicidal policy
han the exclusion Of these men could not
possibly be adopted.
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