The herald., 1893-05-28
=
A CANADIAN EXAMPLE.
Experience Of the HAMILTON ssalaau4.

Experience of the Hamilton IEQldara.tie. a.
The president of the international
Molders' union has decided that the
strike Of the Hamilton nolders is hope
less and has suspended the financial sup
port Of the order. The molders quit
work early in January in an effort to
|. resist a reduction Of 20 cents day on
time workers. and 10 per cent on piece
workers. But now the suspension Of the
strike allowance has induced the few
union men remaining in the city to nego-
tate for settlement. This affair has
shown the operations of the alleged pro-
lection to Canadian workmen, and many
of the strikers who refused to learn from
reasonable arguments have gained wis
dom from observation and experience.
The complete operation Of the tariff in
restraint Of trade was daily before their
eyes for close on three months, and
although their experience was dearly
bought they will profit by the lessons
which have been deeply impressed. The
higher prices permitted by the tariff
caused the natural decrease in consump-
tion. The increased pressure of unem-
ployed was the employers opportunity,
and the men sought to maintain their
position by strike. When they quit
work, men were imported to fill their
places in spite of strong and generally
well directed efforts to prevent it.
The strikers adopted the usual method
of appointing pickets and guards to in
tercept new arrivals and tried by every
means to dissuade them from taking the
vacantplaces. But besides the decreased
demand for men on account of tariff
prices, the protection system worked
against them in other ways. Secure
against outside competition, the employ
ers were in ameasure able to ignore the
immediate demands of the market and
play waiting game-a game fatal to
the men dependent on wages for the
support of their families.
The International Molders' union dis
tributed in strike pay some $4,000, the
allowance being 81 week to married
men aud So week to single men, but
the strikers became gradually discour-
aged. Many of the molders who took
their places were brought from the
United States-a line of importation
which our protectionists are not anxious
to check. The unemployed across the
border were glad of chance for tempo
rary work. 1t is not unusual for en-
ployers to temporarily pay higher wages
than those demanded by strikers. the OBJ
ject being to break up trade organiza-
tions. AS the strikers grew weary of the
struggle they left the city, so that there
are now only few to negotiate settle
ment
The molders of Toronto had a sini-
lar experience a few years ago, and SO
clear was the lesson that their union
passed resolution declaring that the
tariff on imported goods afforded no
protection to workingmen. The local
union in Hamilton is seeking an agree
ment by which the men will not be re-
quired to work with nonunion molders.
but the employers are unwilling to grant
any concessions. 1t is probable that the
strikers will be forced to surrender un-
conditionally, having gained nothing by
their long fight except the knowledge
that tax on imports assists their en-
ployers in raising prices and lowering
wages-operations oppressive to all
workmen. Toronto Globe.