The evening world., 1888-06-13

Interesting Facts About the German
Compositors.
BY,
G WEINSTEIN,
Delegate TO Central Labor Union from Typo
graphta No. 7.

WRITTEN EXPRESSLY FOR THE EVENING WORLD
Approaching the benefits to the labor
movement from the articles appearing in
The EVENING WORLD under the head OF
Labor Speaks for Itself" / take the oppor
tunity of giving TO your readers a sketch of
the trade organization / have the honor to
represent in the Central Labor Union of New
York, called Topographic No. 2.
SKETCH OF THE SOCIETY.
The organization is composed of printers
employed on German composition-news-
papers, books, &c. 1t is the first organiza-
| ton of German compositors in this country,
having been established in 1869, under the
name Of German Printers of New York"
Similar organizations have been formed in
the various States of the Union. and in 1872 q
national body was established, with the name
of German American Topographic. Our TO-
ganization has since been known as Typo
graphia No. 7.
Although not very strong in numbers, in
comparison with the English printers
unions, we have, however, succeeded in
establishing o quite invincible phalanx for
the elevation Of our trade and the protection
| of those working at it against greedy and
grasping employers.
HOURS REDUCED AND WAGES INCREASED.
Toprove this it will suffice to state that the
hours of l~abor-eleven and twelve per day
before the formation of the Organization
have since been reduced to eight hours per
week day and four on Saturdays. TIL scale
of prices has at the same time been increased
from So to So cents per thousand :" ems"
As might be expected, these changes have
not been effected without persistent efforts
on the part of our union. necessitating occa-
sionally a decided - strike" but. as l will
show below, the number of strikes We have
engaged in is comparatively mail. l do not
wish to be understood that the members of our
union believe with the good boys" of recent
pattern belonging to labor organizations,
who take pains to state publicly that strikes
are wicked and fruitless. We don't believe
in anything of the kind, but We do condemn
and avoid rash and untimely strikes, and
only inaugurate one when all other methods
of adjusting the differences have failed of
effect.
SUCCESSFUL STRIKES.
Our most notable strikes occurred in 1879
and 1881. for the recognition Of our union
by employers. After q stubborn opposition
we came out victorious. In 1856 we sue
ceeded in establishing eight hours as u nor
NAL work-day, and four hours on Saturdays.
We have also successfully changed tho type.
measurement system from the . EN- " to the
alphabet letter. The latter has always been
acknowledged to be more just than the old
ole, and the English compositors have beer
thinking of adopting it for English compost,
ton.
Strange to soy, such revolutionary changes
were obtained with but one strike. which hal
cost us the paltry sum of $4s9. 49, when many
other strong labor organizations were com
PEELED to give up their demand for the estab
lishment of the eight-hour standard.
BENEFITS OF THE ORGANIZATION.
The secret of this. in my opinion, consist
in the successful plan of our organization
which is very much similar to that of tn,
trades unions of Great Britain, with q NOR
: progressive and sympathetic spirit.
To explain: Any German printer VIII,
. joins Topographic No. 7 has to pay iron
$l.4O to 50 per month. These are rather higl
dues; but consider the benefits he derive
from the union:
! /. When out of work he receives Sc pc
: week. He Is. Of course. obliged to appea
daily at our free employment bureau an,
, await his turn for answering IN employer
!, call.
2. When sick he gets $6 per week.
8. At the decease of o member his lawfr
. heirs get $500.
Q 4. At the decease of a members wife he
n entitled to the sun of $50.
s. Members DESTROYS of removing to som
other city are entitled to travelling expenses
Q which they are TO pay to the union they col
meet themselves with.
6. In case of duly authorized strikes IL
sum of 81 per week is paid to each membt
involved in it.
POTENT FIGURES.
Believing that figures are more convincir
j. than fine descriptions. 1 have compiled Il
70 following statistical statement of benei
moneys paid out by our union for the last q
- years, from 1882 to 1887 inclusive:
Sick Dement'S. ~, 1862
Id Out OF work dement's. ..........'........ 4,3i1.
K Dea'h oeheuls' 5000
IraVelllnR eAl enSeS. ........,....... o2I
National Executive. ................,.. 4, 1888.
IA Strike benefits. ], ISL.
=, Assistance TO outside organizations ....... $50.
Id Making a total sec. 947.
a These are official figures, and speak fl
ly themselves. The amount spent on strik
clearly shows that our employers are partic'
IT, larly careful to keep our strike fund as inta
al no pOasihla and thev carfaiulv' daaArva crad