The sun., 1889-12-08
4 GREAT MEETING AT HAND.
ruH AMERICAN FEDERAT TIoN OF LABOR
TO CONVENE At BOSTON.


-. Agitation of the ElEht-hour Question
:. ,sere 20 he n Great Strike on Msy
I.test News from Onicial Sources.
Tbs ninth consecutive annual gathering,
,.h,,b vllllbe known as the fourth convention, Of
~ American Federation Of Labor, which is to
s.,in AT Boston on Tuesday next. promises to
Z. not only the largest representative gather
-, ~ real vorh ingmen ever held In this coun-
- INIT also one Of the most important In its
.T.ots upon tho labor movement Under the
n-.sJdancy OF Samuel Gompers. the Federation
- fabor came rapidly into prominence as the
T,,obta Of Labor began to decline, and there
.a.ms to be aIpractich possibilityiof the Feder-
.ron soon comprising the great bulk OF the or
..rjzod laborinR men Of the United States In
oil trades.
,Aova that there are over 400 trade unions,
Nm a membership OF about 100000, and now
rsmbers are constantly being added.
The main feature OF this new and most sue
oasstul organization is the plan by which It is
soupbt TO permit each branch Of industry to
manage It's own affairs. having at its back the
substantIal sympathy and support OF the entire
body OF federated labor. One OF the rocks on
vhioh the knights OF Labor split was
no admission to representation OF various
bodiss that included members who never could
IA admitted to o trade union and who were In
no sense entitled to represent anybody in tho
labor movement The Federation OF Labor has
thus far steered clear OF mere theorists, spout
ers, mischief makers. and leeches. and kept to
business. The general plan is for each trade
70 be- organized In it's separate unions with its
separate national body. Then each trade sends
its representatives to the annual convention Of
0na raaulf nj thia aim MIA hna-
inosslike plan has been TO keep down the OK
penses Of the Federation to very low figure.
avoiding the cost OF expensive propagandists.
ofluxurious offices, and OF other luxuries which
have made the Knights obnoxious.
The basis OF representation to the coming
convention will be one delegate for each 1000
members OF the International or national
unions. Then each trades organization not
connected with any national or international
body will be entitled to one delegate. In order
to keep the number OF delegates within man
Sgeable limits after four delegates are allowed
to one union there is but one delegate allowed
for each additional 10000 members. The call
for this convention, signed by President Com
pers and Secretary P. j. Mcclure, speaks Of 1t
as the fourth annual convention. This num-
ber refers to the present organization. The
Federation is a fact somewhat older. The call
sets forth the object OF the convention In these
words:
The trade unlon, the mos. bitterly attacked and do
iay Sssoed n. m open e assSuts q sapSsts and
golciAnN while calmly repelnE the secret mAehina.
Of labor suce L shsn to say that the WORKERS have
tcaaf branch of industry understand nature il
and are better qualified to adjust any difficulties which
ssSasiaisa Win sRs ecaasiSss = sRaI Sas!as.. Sas
AN and ns r,s sTksS "a are are Ss
men going back 10 work upon the employers terms;
izatlqn Tho Sest form Of orsaninnon and that tho
tune has now arrived to openly calmly and feareSSy
With these views tho St Louis Convention of the
agitation er The establishmen Of tho hour Work
Sey pSn sSy s and 10 the ma2n
dom Of .hc deleEatss there t naf deemed
vide, into orSanizod movement for its realization
i % be observed that It is BY 70 means
The Federation Is as yet committed to nothing
but the agitation OF the subject. 1t remains
for the CONVENTION , Of pext Tuesday to disclose
work day on that day; Thus far the official
question in some doubt bscause tho offlcial
authorities have not yet acted In many cases.
and In some cases where they have acted they
active crusade and universal strike for Tor
eight hours that some ill-informed persons
About saYnG Fbe Gse Ia certain TO Ro sN
7ollecting accurate data as to the attitude Of
che various branches OF trade on the eight-hour
Executive Council, addressed a circular to
each Of the executive officers OF national and
International trade and labor unions, central
others affiliated with tho American Federation
OF Labor. propouuding series Of questions in
Sape The IN
to furnish basis for Intelligent action. These
were the questions which were sent out to the
0OO men OF the Federation OF Labor:
& What are the hours prevailing in the trsdei What
SGEaa Nay @.e s
condition Of ySnr VII your
what extentf
The result of these inquiries was as follows.
one are working over eight hours The cigar
makers 28O unions, with 2S,000 members. are
the only trade now claiming to have succeeded
In obtaining the eiRht-hour concession. The
Brotherhood OF Painters and Decorators 116
unions. $500 mentors, report that they are
wng To on the GSs and Tbe Saon
Federation OF silk Workers report that they are
working nfty-fye hoQrs week. and are willing
ton, which meets next January. The German
American ne Typographical Union. 70 unions.
ii.l0O members. report that they are working
from nine 10 ten honrs q day. and will try to
enforce the eight-hour plan. The harness and
fssddie s,tk makers report that they are working
htJ-uluo uOuTb u We0k-LQuI ID, L0D nOurB
every day except Saturday. when they work
nine. They say their action on tho eight. hour
movement depends upon the action Of the
Trade. The bakers. 10 unions. 10000 members.
report that they are working gixty-eight and
opinion that they cannot get eight hours
eno would enforce ten hours IL possible. The
poot and shoe workers are working largely ten
nIouIs DAY. and IN some cases twelve and
EESSnrtesa ESI hours: They have taken no action.
tne lourneymen tailors. 10 unions, $500 mem-
USfSl CSS report that they ayereGe ten hours day
SHllors Na and Firemen report that they are work:
aSars ss on and eight hours "a for the firemep at
tliaesy would be content II they could get
ime. The tin and sheet iron workers
md will take no action. The boiIermakers 50 |
Sorking nine and ten hours a day and Will take |
rom eight TO ten hours day, They will take |
20 action yet, and will get nine hours O day
lrst, The United Brotherhood OF Carpenters |
@ lhd Joiners Of America. the largest body in |
Inioas' '0 With 5s.24o % @e% bcrs. k report that lat
q q 452 cities they are working eight hours a |
iay; In 100 cities they are working nlde hours |
day; in about 200 clties they work fifty-eight |
ioars week. The circular OF the Federation |
n n the eight: hour movement was submitted to |
ne vote OF this organization and about eight |
we're In favor Of III n On0 AGAINST IT, There /