Sharp County record., 1888-01-05
WHAT 1T COSTS,

Figures Relating to Strikes and LOckOuts
IN the United States During the Last Six
Years-The Cost of the Luxury of Strik-
ing to the Workingmen of the Nation
An Interesting Morsel to Chew On.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.-The Commits.
sioner of Labor, Carroll d. Wright, yes
terday transmitted his third annual re.
port TO the Secretary of the Interior.
This report relates entirely to strikes and
lockouts occurring in the United States
for the period of six years, beginning
January /, 1881, and ending December 81,
1886. Mr.. Wright says that the industrial
depressions, which have been so frequent
in this country since 1877, really establish
the period as one Of strikes and lockouts.
The manufacturing establishments is taken
as the unit in all matters rather than
the strike itself. The names of estab.
lishments have not been given for many
apparent reasons; but the localities and
the industries to which the establish
ments belong are all clearly specified.
After detailing the m3thods by which the
bureau collected its information, and
these show that the greatest care was
taken in the investigation, the commis-
sioner states that there were for the whole
period involved 22,336 establishments in
which strikes occurred, and 2, lS2 in which
lockouts occurred. The strikes ara divid-
ed by years as follows: In 1881, 1858; in
1882, 2, ,101; in 1888, 1861: in 1854, 2,S6S; In
1859, ., $50, and in 1886, 1863.
Since the first of January, 1887, so far
as the bureau has been able to ascertain,
there has been great falling off in
strikes as compared as 1886; the number
of establishments in which they occur
dropping below 1000, three thousand OF
which occurred in the first half of the
year. Nearly 10 per cent. of the estab'
liShments in which strikes occurred for
the six years named and nearly 81 per
cent. of those in which lockouts occurred,
were in the five States of New York,
Pennsylvania, Massachusetts,, Ohio and
Illinois. The total number of employees
involved in the whole number OF strikes
was 1,31S,624, while the number of en-
ployes locked out was 159, ,543. OF a tho
strikers nearly SO per cent. were males
and about II per cent. females; while OF
those locked out 60 per cent. were males
and 81 per cent. females. The totals show
that of the strikes occurring in the %, ~ o
establishments during the period covered
by the investigation. those in 1O,407 sue
ceeded and those in 1904 met with partial
success, while in 500 eS Establishments the
strikes were failures.
Many difficulties were found in ascer.
tanning the exact loss OF employees but
the information secured shows that the
loss to them for the six years was sol, ,Sl6,-
1G5, while the loss to employees through
lockouts for the same period was s., l32,
III, or total wage loss to employees
through strikes and lockouts for
the six years covered about $59,94S,-
SS3 Three millions three hundred
and twenty-five thousand and fifty
seven dollars We're expended in
assistance to strikers S o far as ascertain
able. The employers losses through
strikes for six years amounted to $50, 73l,-
653, and through lock-outs to -, 432, 26i ;
being a total loss to employers in estab-
lishments where stril19 and lock-outs
occurred of $3i, 1894. An examination of
the summary tables by industries for
both strikes and lock outs dis
closes the fact that the chief
burden under strikes was borne by
thirteen indus tries, viz: Boots and shoe :,
352 establishments; brickmaking, 4I8;
building trades, 6,06); c'o.hing, LIS;
cooperage, 4Sl; food preparations, lab;
furniture, 401; lumber, S95; metals and
metallic goods, 1885; mining, 2,O6O; stone,
46S; tobacco, 2,5o5; transportation, 1,iIS,
or total number of establishments in
these industries of 1887, being about
ninety per cent. of the whole mum.
Der of establishments subjected to
strikes. In lockouts five trades
boro eighty per cent. of the
whole burden, They they were as fol-
lows: Boots and shoes, 155 establishments;
building trades, 551; clothing, 773 metals
and metallic goods, 70, and tobacco, 226;
or q total of 1,7Gl. For the two classes Of
turbances, strikes aud lockouts, these
trades that have besn named affected
22,432 establishments, o. about ninety
per cent. of the whole number involved.
Among the long list of strikes there
were several which presented unusual DIFF.
fculties in the way of tabu
lnr statement, and for these,
namely, the telegraphers strike of
1888 and the strikes on the Southwestern
or Gould system of railroads, in 1885,
all having a National influence, specific
explanations are given.
The facts given by the bureau regarding
the strikes occurring prior to 1881, and
also those relative to legislation and the
decisions of courts concerning strikes,
combinations, conspiraces and boycotts
constitute an exceedingly valuable por'
ton of the report.