The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-28
CIGARMAKERS' INTERNATIONAL
UNION OF AMERICA.

The Cigar Makers union, of this
city, was organized May Is, 1887. Pre-
vious to that time most of the cigars
manufactured here were made by Chi
nese, who were gradually weeded out
and their places filled by white men.
This change was brought about by
the manufacturers, who prefer white
men Oh account Of their superior work
manship.
At the time of the organization in
this city there was not sufficient
number to apply for charter from The
Cigar Makers international union,
which difficulty, however, was over
come by the manufacturers, who. see
ing the benefit to be derived from
sAh an organization, increased their
fcsees 50 as to get the requisite num-
Der Cten) to apply for a charter.
The superior quality of cigars man
ufactured here, and the increasing de-
mand for homemade cigars, increased
the membership of the union to forty,
which number, unfortunately, has been
greatly reduced since the present de-
preston and the large influx of cheap
eastern cigars
The Cigar Makers International
union, of which the local union is a
branch, is considered by many union
! lists one Of the strongest and most
practical labor organizations in
America. Space will permit but a brief
outline Of the history and the objects
and aims of this grand organization,
which principally are the moral and
material welfare of its members. The
National Cigar Makers union was or
gained in 1864, which, at a subsequent
convention held at Buffalo, n. Y, in
1857, was changed to the Cigar Max
erS' International Union of America.
From its organization up to 1880 the
international union experienced the
ViciSsitudeS and IniSfortunes which be-
fell most labor unions Of a national
character in those years, owing chiefly
TO ignorance and want of courage
among the members. At that time,
also, the International union was an
OrganiZat ton of defense against the
entertainments of the manufacturers,
only; it had not the benevolent clauses
in its constitution it has at present,
which have proven a strong incentive
TO membership. The number of mem
bers in the International union at
present is close to 10000 This repre-
Sents about Sc per cent Of the skilled
cigar ma kers of America. People who
are engaged in such branches of the
industry as cigarette making are not
eligible 10 membership, also those who
q
those most degrading and brutalizing,
sweater and tenement house systems,
which prevail to a large extent in the
,ciHes of the east.
NG{e International union deserves
5&eat praise for the manner in which
1T cares for its afflicted members. If a
member becomes sick or disabled and
cannot pursue his usual vocation he
received IS per week during such sick
ness or disability. A death benefit is
paid ranging from $50 up to $3.50, ac-
cording to length of membership in
the organization.
Should a member be forced to leave
his home in search of employment he
is assisted from one city where a
union is located to another, and so on
until he secures employment. The
amount thus advanced, however, is
only a loan and must be repaid as
soon as employment is secured at the /
rate Of 10 per cent of wages earned /
weekly. The amount which can thus |
be drawn is limited to $40 This was /
done to discourage those who have a |!
too great inclination to travel.
b When members are out of work and /
unable to secure any, upon application |
they are paid an out-of-Work benefit I
of IS pe1. week This sum, though ap- |
parently small, has proven a great /
boon to the unemployed, especially |
during the present depression. The |
amount paid by the International /
union in this benefit alone during the /
year 1894 was $174.517.25. 1t is during I
panics and serious financial depres-
sioas that trade unions suffer mostly; |
their ranks are reduced through the .
inability of the members to pay their
dues. Such was the effect upon the In
ternational union previous to the adop-
tion of the "out-of-work benefit
Though the present panic has been
one of the most disastrous in the his
tory of this country, the International
union has not only kept its ranks in
tact, but has materially increased
them.
The following table shows the
amount paid in benefits by the Inter
national union in the last fifteen
years: