Workmen's advocate., 1890-06-21
THE ClGARMAKERS.

Great Awakening of the Trade-Progress
 of Organization in 1,s City-Impor- tant Results Achieved - Forty-tiye
 Strikes Won in Two Months The Movement in Philadelphia.
 Three months ago the tobacco trade
 was at low ebb in the city of New
 York. Large numbers of cigarmakers
 were outside of the union and the bosses
 had everything pretty nearly their own
 way. The condition of affairs was thus
 tersely described by Fred. Schaefer,
 Secretary of Union No. 90: 'I know
 men here that go home on a Saturday night with their little three or four dollars in their pockets, men with families to support; and without the assistance of their wives and, perhaps, one or two children, they would not be able to exist" All this while the bosses were piling up profits and degrading their employees more and more through the cheap floor and tenement house systems. The situation had actually be. come intolerable and it was evident to the more active, earnest and intelli- gent workers that combined and vigor- ous action of the most energetic charac- ter could alone bring some relief. At last, on March 9, the joint unions called a convention of all the cgarmakers, organized and unorganized. Every shop Tn the city was invited to send two delegates, and about two hundred shops and districts answered the appeal. The discussion was long, earnest and prac- tical, finally resulting in the general recognition of the fact that no improve ment was possible without thorough organization and unity of action. A resolution was therefore passed, that all the cigarmakers of this city should join the International Union and the price-list of 1886 be again enforced.
 TLe spirit of 1886 was immediately revived. The unions, however poor, bled themselves freely to carry on the agitation, and the men heretofore un- organized began series of strikes From that time to this fifty-fve strikes, involving 4,000 workers, have taken place for the enforcement of the price list of 1886. Forty five were entirely successful and only ten are still un- settled, with the best prospects of complete victory. In no case could the bosses obtain scab labor, for the scabs had learned from experience terrible lesson and scabbing times had passed let us hope for ever.
 The increase in the membership of the New York city unions to date is about 3,200.
 In the meantime, the price of mold work advanced on the average $I.50: hand work, $l.50 to $2; spanish $3 to $500.
 The tenement house work and cheap floor system have to a large extent been abolished.
 The cigar packers, perceiving the be- nefit which they could derive from the movement. presented also their de- mands and were successful in every instance. They were assisted by the Cigar Makers Unions and the Interna- tiona1 Strike Committee, and are now affiliated with the International Packers Union of this city.
 Through the good tactics and untiring energy of the strike committee general strike was avoided. The Agitation Committee is still working night and day. The cigar makers here have at last come to realize that there is no safety for any of them, no hope of fair wages, and no prospect of improve ment, unless they all act collectively, through the International Union.
 We learn that the cigar makers of Philadelphia, awakened by the success of their metropolitan brethern, are nov ing in tha same direction. Within the last six weeks eight agitation meetings were held in various parts of the city. About 300 new members have been and if the same rate of pro- gress can be maintained during the hext two months a uniform scale of wages will be demanded in all the shops.