The Iola register., 1891-04-17
KANSAS TRADES UNIONS.
rHE ANNUAL REPORT OF LABOR
COMMISSIONERS BETToN GIVING IN
TERESTING STATISTICS IN REGARD
TO WAGES PAID TO wORKINGMEN.
NUMBER OF HOURS EMPLOYED, ETC.
The Unions Powerful Influence.
A dispatch from Topeka So

will present to the public the
most valuable statistics relative to
trades unions that have ever teen CON-
piled by any labor bureau. The man.
ner in which these facts are presented
is as novel as valuable. This report is
now in the hands of the state printer.
OF hours of labor the commissioner
says:
Mine hours and fifty-four minutes is
the average length of time union man
works for a day, and ten hours and
eighteen minutes is an average day for
the non-union man. For weeks work
the union man gives an average of fifty
nine hours and six minutes, while the
non-union man gives an average of six
ty-two hours and fifty-four minutes: a
difference of three hours and forty-eight
Minutes"
The report of the commissioner fur
ther shows that but 81 per cent of the
union men work more than ten hours
per day, but that 100 per cent OF the
non-union men work to exceed ten hours
per day. Eight per cent of the union
men work but eight hour per day.
1t Is a claim OF the unionists that the
unions have in their ranks the best
workmen, and this claim is well borne
out by the figures of the commissioner.
He says:
The union men have been employed
in the various trades represented an
average of II years and 6 months, and
the nonunion an average of s years and
I months.
Thus an employer who employs con-
| stantly none but union men receives on
an average four years more experience
| than does the employer who confines
| his help to non-uniOn men.
The question of wages is one of the
most important that enters into the cal
culations of the wage Garner, and on
this subject the report says:
The average daily wages for the 42l
union men is S2.54, and ior the 504 nom
union men S2,04, general average for
the 921 men OF 81 16.
The excess of wages is undoubtedly
due to the long and concentrated efforts
of the urion throughout the land for a
reasonable recompense for the labor
which they performed: and no doubt in
short time the hours of labor will
show a balance in favor of the union
man equally fiattering. But the COM
missioner makes another very interest
ing comparison about wages. Here it
is:
Thirty-seven per cent, or more than
one-third of the union men receive from
70 > low.
nearly one-fifth of the non-uniOn men
obtain a like sum.
Thirty-eight and three-tenths per
cent of the union men receive more
than $2.I4 per day. and 1913 per cent of
the nOn-uniOn men get an excess of
81. a for days work.
Here is difference of IS per cent in
one case and 23 per cent in the other in
favor Of the union men-and yet some
men will ask, ''Of what use can the I'M
ion be to me?" Here is an answer to all
such inquiries: material and financial
gain that appeals to that great desider.
atum OF all men-the pocket.
The commissioner has compiled re-
turns of personal interviews with 925
men. Speaking of this compilation he
says:
Zone hundred and fifty-six, or 81 per
cent of the union men own their homes,
and 179, or 36 per cent of the non-union
men are alike circumstanced. OF those
owning homes, 45 per cent of the union
wage-earners and 46 per cent of the
nOn-uuiOn have their homes paid for
trile less than half in each case.
The average amount paid month
ly on incumbered real estate is
SIPS by the union workmen and SI1 50
by the nOn-uniOn."
Fifty-seven per cent Of the union men
are paying for their homes on the
monthly installment plan, while 42 per
cent OF the non-uniOn men are doing
the same. Fifty-five per cent of the non
union men who own homes have the
same mOrtgaged. The average amount
Of mortgage carried is about $3.50 and
the rate ef interest ranges from to 10
per cent annually-The average being g.
per cent.
The returns to the bureau show that
the trades unions have Increased 13l per
cent and the railroad organizations 1I3
per cent. At the conclusion of the
chapter this language is found:
The trades unions are with us, they
are part of our social system, they
have an influence upon our body polite |
and they are great and growing factor
in our commercial aud manufacturing !
interests. They WELD powerful in |
tiuence wherever they concentrate This |
is proven by the facts given ia regard to |
hours OF labor and daily wages For
years these organizations have devoted |
their energies largely upon these two
clements of their welfare. and the re-
suit Is shown in the higher average
daily wage of the unicnist being so cents
above the non-uniOnist: and the differ
ence in hours worked per week, that is.
three hours and forty-eight minutes less
Tor the union man.
Death benefits are maintained bv all
Of the railroad organizations and by 10
per cent of the trade unions.
From the tables which relate to
owning homes, in the reports made by
he unions as also those gathered by ,
agents OF the bureau, the figures show
hat about 80 l-3 per cent OF the work ,
men own homes. From the returns of {
he agents it appears that about half of
hose having homes own them free of {
mortgage. OF the men who have homes I
nortgaged about 10 per cent are liqui- {
ating the same by monthly payments. I
Nearly all the unions report that |
he tendency is toward more efficient G
rganization Of their craft. The gain {
+ membership as shown by the present 5
lumber of members as against the n
lumber OF charter members proves that n
ne work of the organization is pro- )
ressing rapidly. a
The benefits to be derived from trades -
mons are being constantly augmented n
adopting new beneficiary features a
ld increasing the social functions of
lese bodies. The figures returned to
lie bureau concerning wages direct
ON the unions, show an increase for
10 nast fira ,-oors sl;oL, :, (,,,1-- -. | bl