The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-10-09
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9, 1873.
WOMEN AND TRADES UNIONS.

.erests Of one another and resist the en- g
OF capital on their labor. {
Their labor is their capital in trade, and ]
they take measures to protect and Sc
cure it, just as merchants and others in
sure their property. Occasionally Ct is {
common Of late) the unions represent
ing different trades form themselves
into a compact organization for further
security and protection, just as the mer-
chants Of a city form a Board Of Trade
or other organization for protection
against piratical dealers or irresponsible
purchasers. Thus the tradespeople are
not always at the mercy OF their en-
ployers. Though they have to yield in
very many instances after having struck
against unjust reductions, yet the knowl-
edge on the part Of the proprietors that
the unions are prepared to and will re-
sist oppression, prevents many g form
OF injustice from being practiced on the /
laborers. No better proof Of the success !
OF unions in maintaining fair prices can /
be found than in the fact that the wages
Of men are so vastly higher than those I
of women, the latter not having unions
10 protect themselves. or course, in /
public positions, such as teachers Of the
common schools, women suffer because
they have no political power; but in
the trades their poor pay is due to their
own errors-errors made in compliance
with the wrong ideas held by the world
in regard to women. No tradesman
wants 10 see his wages cut down, and
will cheerfully stand by the women in
their demands for remunerative wages
II they will stand by themselves.
Women must form associations for their
own protection, adopt a scale of prices
for whatever trade they may follow, and
maintain their schedule Of wages, If
they expect to be paid for their labor.
As the conditions Of living vary, they
can change their scale to suit the times;
but there is no necessity for their fol-
lowing any class Of work for from sS a
month to 81 per day, when, by q proper
course OF organization, they can get
what their services are worth. They
must stop the system Of undertaking,
or ''ratting," as the unions term il, II
they ever expect to receive SO fair days
wages for q fair days work" We
know Of many instances where women,
who are skilled seamstresses, are sewing
for . dollar q day and boarding them
selves, when they might have twice the
amoant for the asking. If the seam
stresses, for example, will band them
selves together, aud none of them sew
without receiving fair remuneration,
they can readily command what their
services are worth. But, If they estab-
lish scale, say Of - so per day, there
must be no infringement Of this price.
They must live up to their solemn
word, and none of them accept 81 per
day. II one accepts s., the next is at
liberty to accept 81 so, aud so on, and
presently they are all working for star
walton wages. Perhaps tho reason why
women have allowed their wages to
drop to such pitiful figures is, that few
girls, when learning a trade, ex-
pect or intend to follow it for liveli-
hood. Our false customs and ideas have
taught girls that in a few years mar
riage will secure them against the ne
cessity Of struggling for a living. In
many instances the necessity for labor
does cease with marriage, but in very
many il does not. If adverse fate COM
pels them to seek work in the great
world, it is very plain that their wages
will not properly support them and, if
they have children, and the fathers are
worthless or dead, it is q constant, wear
ing struggle to furnish food for their
loved little ones. 1t then begins to
dawn on the overworkei and underpaid
mothers that the system adopted by
women Of working for nothing while
young until they get married lie a fail
ure; thst they should, for the sake Of
those who are to follow their trades af-
ter them, unite in demanding and main
tanning a flair days wages for a fair
days work - that, instead Of regarding
only the present, they should keep in
mind the possibility OF their being
forced to work in the future for the
maintenance OF themselves and chill
dren, and that they sorely need remun-
erative prices. In fact, the keeping up
of wages is a humanitarian work
While some single, unencum bered indi-
viduals may be able to live on q dollar a
day, or less, It should be kept in mind
that others, under different circum-
stances and surroundings, cannot live
on that amount; it is then a duty Of
the unencumbered TO uphold the dignity
of labor for the benefit OF the trammeled.
Besides, a mere living is not sufficient
pay for labor. Every one who is faith
ful, industrious, sober and economical
should have such pay as will in old age
give the retired artizan a competency.
The foregoing has been written hav-
ing in mind only competent tradespeo-
pie. Inferior workers cannot command
good wages but many grasping propri-
storS will employ them and turn ont a
low grade Of workmanship. The result
is that the produce does not fulfill the
expectations Of buyers, aud they de-
mand a reduction In prices at the nert
purchase. The proprietors grant this
and still further cut down the inferior
wages TO maintain their profits. The
rronriatorR lose nofhf,r b,t a. -