The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-11-10

tenders of private ownership of land,
insane systems Of taxation, and all the
iniquities of the present economic ar
rangement, either shut up like CLAIMS,
or open wide their mouths in the de-
nunciation of things not at all peril
nent to the question. There are also
those who try to demonstrate strikes
as expensive follies but in reply it need
only be said that the trade unionist
ought to know more about the sub
ject, for the reason that he pays all the
bills, and if he received no adequate re-
turn for his money, he would not be
likely to indulge the luxury. Strike
statistics run in this fashion:
Total number of strikes. ..25
Strikes won ..................... is
Comprimised ............. .......... 5
Now the benefits Of strikes are not
at all represented by the strilses won
and compromised. One the chief bene-
fits Of strikes consist in the general and
public knowledge of the likelihood Of
their recurrence. Employers, ordinar-
lily, do not want strikes, and they make
concessions to avoid them, so that a
strike in one establishment, even
though unsuccessful, has the effect of
improving or maintaining a previously
desirable conditions in a number Of
other establishments; or, where there is
a difficulty because of certain griev-
ances in one city, and strike ensues,
the stand made by the men, even
though an absolute failure, has the ef
feet of winning concessions in whole
series of other cities.
Many mistakes have been made by
trade UNIONS in the matter of strikes.
and to offset this the unions have con-
verted many Of the headquarters Of
their parent organiza tions into what a
strike enthusiast has characterized as
"a circumlocution office for the pre-
vention of Strikes" and such restric
tions have been thrown around the
powers of subordinate unions that in
the union in which I hold card it re-
quires six months membership and
good standing as qualification to vote
on strike proposition, which must be
carried by a three-fourths majority. In
addition the leader of the organization
report to headquarters, and from head
quarters the proposition goes to an exc
cutive council of five members for ap-
proval, which approval more frequently
fails to materialize than otherwise.
have had opportunity, during fifteen
years membership, to vote on q pro-
posi- tionsR ITO u hut once and 10 Tar
esafa lied ON toSlAAVe
Ior
Some features Of N trad de union work
which particularlyhave aroused antag-
onism and criticism are the walking de-
legate and apprenticeship regulations.
AS to the walking delegate, it may be
| said that he is an officer Of the union,
| generally on salary, whose duty it is
to look after the interests Of the un-
ions, on jobs, or in shops over which
the union exercises control. He does
simply what he is hired to do. The
reason for the antagonism to the walk
ing delegate lies in the fact that he is
| the first to bring violations of rules and
Eagreements to the notice of the en-
ployes. For the time being he stands
! in the place of his organization, and in
every difference and difficulty has tc
bear the brunt of the first clash. It is
the aim of unions to select for these
positions the most leVel-headed among
them, and while, of course, mistake:
have been and are being made, the un
ions need the services of the walking
| delegate, or business agent, and so Ions
as he earns his salary, the unions viii
probably continue to employ him: L
might be added that the walking dele
gate, or business agent, is feature O.
only the largest organizations.
In the mater of apprenticeship reg
| ulations, a number of unions place re
strictions on the number Of apprentices
allowing only one apprentice to a Ger
tain number Of journeymen-say on
apprentice to three journeymen, tw'
| apprentices to less than six and NOR
than three journeymen, and so on. Al
excited magazine writer some years agt
charged trade-unions were preventing
the American boy from learning
trade, gave as a reason that the trade
unions sought to restrict the numbe
of apprentices because it wanted to re
strict the number of journeymen in th'
trade for the future. 1t is doubtful
whether unions could do this if the!
wanted to. But the fact of the matter
is that unions have frequently fount
that boys were being imposed upon, ane
that, though in fact full-hedged jour
| neymen, the employer continued to rate
them as apprentices, at So, 81 and 5;
less per week than a journeyman could
! easily command. 1t is recalled that a
+ local union inaugurated apprenticeship
restrictions in shop some years ago
having two journeymen and four ap.
| prentices. Within week after the
Frule was enforced, two Of these appren.
tices were earning SIS week each, anc
continued in permanent employment
Zone of the apprentices was. I'M fact, a
| better; workman than the average
journeyman. Another thing to be sale
for apprenticeship restrictions is, tina
apprentices are afforded greater op
portunity to master the trade Where
l apprentices are employed without re.
striction. each is given the task fr
which he displays the greatest pro.
f1ciency and Is kent 1T If so that h,