Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-01-05
STATISTICS OF STRIKES.
Commissioner OF Labor Wright Reports
on Strikes and Lockouts.
The Results OF the strikes I'm tho
United States for, the Past
six Years.

WARRINGTON, Dec. 80 --Commissiouer
of Labor Carroll ID. Wright, to-day trans.
mitted his third annual report to the See,
rotary of the Interior. This report relates
entirely to strikes and lockouts occurring
in the United States for the period of six
years beginning January 1. 1891, and end.
ing Dec 81, 1886, Mr. Wright says that
the industrial dcpressuns which have
been so frequent in this country since
1877 really establish the period as one OF
strikes and lockouts. The manufactur-
ing establishment is taken as the unit in
all matters rather than the strike itself.
The names VI establishments have not
been given TO- many apparent reasons,
but the localities and the industries to
which the establishments belong are all
clearly specified. After detailing the
methods by which the bureau collected
its information, and these show that the
greatest care was taken in the nvestiga
ton, Mr. Wright states that these were
for the whole period involved, %, 1886
establishments in which strikes occurred
and 3, 1872 in which lockouts occurred.
The strikes are DIVIDED by years as fol-
lows: In 1891, 1859; in 1882. 2l0l; in
1888. 1855; in 1884, 2, 1868; in 1885, 2. ESQ.,
and in 1885, 1896 Since tho first Of
January, 1887, so far as the bureau has
been able to ascertain there has been a
great falling Off Of strikes as compared
with 1886. the number of establishments
in which they occurred dropping below
5000, 5000 Of which occurred in the first
half of the year.
Nearly rs per cent of the establishments
in which strikes occurred for the six wears
,aI nd IL 6 -,
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 1918, 624,
while the number of employees locked out
was l59. 543. OF all the strikes nearly 80
per cent were males aud about | per
cent females, while Of those locked out
90 per cent were males and 81 per cent
females
The total shows that of the strikes oc-
curing in the %, 1886 establishments dur
ing the period covered by the invcstiga-
ton, those in 10, 4O7 succeeded and these
in 3,0l9 met with partial success, while in
500 establishments strikes were failures
Many difficulties were found in ascertain
ing the exact loss Of employees, but the
Information secured show that the loss to
them for the SIX years was $5l ,S16. 1866,
while the loss to employers through lock =.
outs for the same period was 8, 1872, III, or
total wage loss to employees through
strikes and lockouts for the six years GOV
cred of $50, 94S. 1872. The amount expend,
ed in assistance TO strikers so far as ascer.
tanned was 1885, 057. The employers
losses through strikes for the six years
amounted to $50, 1872, G53, and through
lockouts to $3, 1872, 26l beng a total loss
to EMPLOYERS in establishments where
strikes and lockouts occurred Of $3i, 1874,
9l4.
An examination Of the summary tables
by industries for both strikes and lockouts
discloses the fact that the chief burden
under strikes was borne by thirteen in-
dustrics, viz: Boots and shoes, 353 cs-
tablishments brick making, 47S; building
trades, 5000; clothing 1,72S; cooperage
4S4; food preparations, 1.4l9; furniture
49l; lumber, 1895; metals and metallic
goods, ,5S5; mining. 1000; stone, 1853;
tobacco, 1853; TRANSFORMATION, AS; or II
total number Of establishments in these
industries of 1887, being about 80 per
cent Of the whole number of establish.
ments subjected 10 strikes.
In lockouts FIVE trades bore 80 per cent
of the whole burden. They were as fol-
lows: Boots and shoes, 1855 establish
ments; building trades, 53l clothing 773;
metals and metallic goods, 66, and tobacco,
1875, or a total of 1901. For the two
classes of disturbances strikes and lock-
outs, these trades that have been named
affected %. 432, establishments or about
80 per cent Of the whole number involv-
ed.
Among the long list of strikes there
were several which presented unusual
difficulties in the way OF tabular statement,
and these, namely the tclegraphers' strike
OF 1888 and the strikes on the southwest
ern or Gould system of railroads in 1886
81, all having national influence, specific
explanations are given. The facts given
by the bureau regarding the strikes oc.
curing prior to 1881, and also those rcla.
tive to legislation and the decisions of
courts. concerning strikes, combinations,
conspiracies and boycotts, constitute an
exceedingly valuable portion Of the re.
port.