The Labor enquirer., 1883-01-06
AN APPEAL
TO Carpenters Joiners and Wood
Workers Of the United
States.

from the headquarters of the carpenters
association in the east:
/ We ask you as intelligent workmen
not to throw this aside, but to seriously
consider what we have to say. Do you
notice that the wages of a carpenter are
lower than those of other mechanics
who require no greater skill, and who
have no expensive tools? X H.,
We find the bricklayers, plasterers,
stone masons, granite cutters; and in
some cities the hod carriers are getting
higher wages and better terms than
the carpenters, - >:%
Why is this? Is our labor less
necessary, and theirs more
important? Or is it not that they get
more because they unite and ask it
while carpenters. remain divided and
take meekly whatever is offered ?
That this is so is our own fault.
F CONDITION OF THE CARPENTERS.
In our daily lobor we are exposed
to the heat of summer and the frosts of
winter, and to danger of life and limb.
Many an idle day is forced upon us
through bad weather and short jobs.
The severity of our work causes great
wear and tear of clothing, and demands
wholesome and sufficient food, while
the destruction and loss of tools costs us
many dollar in the year. And for all
this what is our pay? Are we properly
recompensed for our skill and toll, for
the long weary years we have spent to
learn our trade? Shame on ourselves
if we are not!
1t therefore becomes our duty to ask
ourselves: Are we willing by our own
Indifference to allow our craft to sink
lower and lower, until we are completely
enslaved Must we be forever in pow
erty and want, without sufficient to
maintain ourselves and families, and
educate our children? Shall we be
forced by division among ourselves to
allow our trade to fall into the hands of
unfair and unscrupulous bosses, and to
be swarmed with botches to our detri-
ment and injury?
NECESSITY OF ORGANIZATION.
Without unity among ourselves, the
100000 carpenters of this country are iat
the mercy of few thousand contractors
and boss builders. And wherever We
are not banded in trade unions we find
piece work instituted, wages low, and
the working hours long and severe,
while ill-treatment prevails and the
workmen are often defrauded of their
wages. In unorganized cities carpenters
are getting only $l.75 per day and less,
while in organized cities union men are
getting from $3.50 to So per day and
more and are treated as men. Hence it
paws to be a union man.
Every trade has it's union in each city,
and these local unions are connected
with each ther in national or inter
national unions of their trade. The
bricklayers, granite cutters, iron mould
ers, cigar makers, printers, and a score
of others have their international unions
and official trade journals. The bosses
have their mechanics and builders eX-
changes, the merchants and manufac-
turers aave their boards of trade, the
professional classes have their associa-
tions. Then why should not the jour
neymen carpenters have their trades
unions?
WHY YOU sHoUMD BE A UNION MAN.
1t the men of fmoney-the capitalists
find it necessary to organize, then have
not the men of labor-the workers.
even more reason to do so? All we
have to support US is our labor, and
hence we should combine to protect it.
Therefore it follows that every carpenter
should be union man. If you are a
union man, you should stand by your
union, attend the meetings, and, pay
your dues promptly.
you are not union man, then you
should join the union and help on its
good work.
There is no hope for us only in a
thorough unity end organization Of all
carpenters in the United States and
Canada. A general organization of
carpenters under one head leads to a
better unders anding all over the coun-
try, and just as it makes one carpenter
interested in the other, so it leads one