The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-17
The Sword OF the Unions.

| and aim OF oil lraQeS' UNIONS, VIZ tue idio-
ing of the rate of wages to the highest prac-
tical point, are usually embodied in code
of rules, and before proceeding further an
endeavor will be made to show the way in
which these rules are carried out In the
reports of the British Royal Commissioners
there is a mass of interesting information
upon this subject. The difficulty is to select
such cases as will best illustrate the different
phases of the question. The particular eX-
tracts which will be given are selected rather
because the facts may be stated in small
compass, rather than because they describe
the most fragrant abuses ofpower on the part
of the Trade Societies.
The first cases which we shall select re-
late to the rules enforced by the Unions
against the employment of men who are not
members of their body.
Mr. Mault stated in evidence that the Plas-
terers' Union, for example, have this rule ::
'.That no plasterer be allowed to work In any
shop more than six days without giving salts
faction to the shop steward that he isa mem
ber or viii joln the society,"" They compel
| even the sons and the brothers Of master plas-
terers, who arc at work with them, to join their
Union before they will allow them to proceed.
Tho following are the circumstances Oh
strike on the part OF the plasterers employed
| by Mr.. Charles Howroyd, Of Bradford: On
January Z, 1861, Mr. Bradford received note
| by mail, In which ''thc operative plasterers of
Bradford" gave him notice that all MS sons
that were working as plaSterers, who were Il
years of age, must join the society before Sat
| Igon will work
Monday morning next and not return again
unless you pay ell the expenses or the strike"
Mr.. Howroyd did not comply, and the men
| struck work. A week later six or seven OF
the masters combined In lockout, !. G. not
| to employ any Union men. This lasted hve
weeks, but failed TO make the men give way.
| The result was that hr. Howroyd was let
wilhou. plas,erers, and soon after his laborers
were withdrawn.
Another master plasterer In Bradford, who
had two brothers III his establishment, was
ordered to cause them to become members OF
the Union The employer sent word that ILLS
would be done, bat was compelled 10 pay en-
entrance fee Of 81 so for eoch one, TO avoid q
strike.
Instances Of the operation OF The rule
against tie employment Of non-Unionists
might be multiplied Indefinitely.
Our next extracts illustrate the mode in
which an increase OF wages is forced upon
the employer under pressure:
A contractor at Derby agreed with his ma
sons to pay them 2Ss. week during the wiz
ter month before the quarter expired they
applied for an advance Of Is. Cd. week Thls
was granted upon the assurance tha. AL would
20 on comfortably Three weeks alterward
the Masons' Society demanded an advance OF
2s. Cd, making 32s. a week, and threatened q
strike The demand was complied with, be-
cause the contractor was compelled TO 1nish
the work within a certain time.
In Congleton, contractor took contract
on the basis Of 24s. week for masons; and IN IN
about three months wages were forced up 70
per cent. A further rise was demanded, and
as it was not given the men struck.
At Sheffield, no waller or builder of stone is
allowed to take less than S3s. week, and In
Sheffield and in Bristol II Is the rule that the
wares of the masOns shall be fixed by the
foromen and the men In conjunction With the
employers.
The Unions OF certain towns also issue
edlcts against the importation into their
limits OF work done or material prepared in
another district, and against the use OF ma
chinery.
Tho masons will not al.ow stono worked In
another district t> be brought into the.f own.
In Bradford mill WAS putting up In when
| there w;;S stone staircase OF nuro pclPastcas
steps, The step. were worked u the quarry
and brought to the pSce ready for setting,
when the society gave notice that they c0u.d
not be set un!9ss they We 'rt0or&sd by the
society men. To avoid strike this was agreed
to. entailin9 Oa the employers Va a1oilon2!
cost of f'om S; ,25 to 81 so step.
In Ashton, o quantity Cf polished stone was
not allowed to be laid until the polished PER:
had been deflcei, so that 1t might be poiisasc
again by hand.
At blackburn, the carpenters and join
ers refused to allow any machne-made work
to be imported from other towns Machine
made bricks were absolutely prohibited, and
men who had worked at brick machine,
and the men who cartei the bricks, were
excluded from employment. Yet it was adj
mitted that the machine-made bricks were
better than the han l-made bricks.
A few instances must be given OF the rules
against fast workins.
The Leeds bricklaTers fine Is- any member
| who carries more taan eight b!icks, whne st
Liverpool The RUE is ttotlYc, and the USUAL RUE
is Ten bricks.
The operative masons havc stringent rules
against what is technically known as "chas-
Ing" OF working too fast. The Manchester
Bricklayers' Association fne; any man VINO
works beyond the regular speed.
There is also genera rule that the men
shall not wal to their work in tho morning
faster than three miles an hour. When q