The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-06-01

How to extend the market for goods
bearing the union label so as to en-
courage manufacturers to adopt it more
rapidly, and to hold their faith when
they have once taken it up, thus hast
ening the arrival Of the improved con-
dttions which are, promised the wage
earners through it's influence is g. ques-
ton of great and growing Importance
to the members Of label unions; in fact,
to all organized workers, for, while it
Is claimed by some that those not using
the label in their trade do not share in
it's benefits, the idea Is easily proved an
erroneous one. What benefits such q
large portion of the workers as are re-
presented in the trades having labels
must In the very nature of things pro-
duce good results to the others. All
should therefore unite in promoting it.
and the label of no union should be
overlooked.
A great amount Of agitation for the
label is being carried on outside the
unions, and while it represents so much
that should commend it to the patron
age of the general public, what can be
expected from that source when those
who are so vitality interested in its de-
velopment are so amiss in the matter
of observing it in their own transact
lions as are so many of the members
of the trade unions themselves?
The union label can best be promoted
through the answering loyalty Of or
ganlzed labor toward all label organiza-
tions and it's active cooperation with
the one organization whose members
are in a. position to do the most ef-
fectual service in furthering the sale
or union made goods, in the thorough
organization Of that calling. Such an
organization is composed of the retail
clerks, the people W!,;, do the selling,
and large part of the buying, Of the
goods that pass through the retail store
and 1t is the writer's belief, shared by
all who have given the subject consid-
Grafton, that with this calling thorough
ly organized the labels DEVELOPMENT
would be rapid.
A writer on the union label has said
that housekeepers have it in their pow
er to make or unmake most any of the
trade unions whose members work
goes into the house-a rather broad as
sertion, especially as it relates to the
unmaking of a trade union; but the
statement, coming from an authority,
IS of value here. in that it serves to
emphasize the power of union clerks.
Iney are concerned in the success of
the label equally with the members of
other unions, they also have a label
the working card. Housekeepers need
t. be educated in the merits of the
label; and even when they have formed
the habit Of asking for it, their pur-
chases are insignificant compared with
the sales of the clerk. who comes in
contact with the many whose interest
can not be aroused. =:
The particular value Of the clerks
cooperation in the work of promoting
the success of the label lies in their
aoll1ty--frst, to have placed in their
stocks, ordinarily, such makes or
brands or goods as they have prefer
ence Tor; and, second, to sell, in most
cases, the make or brand they choose
to recommend
With the retail clerks arrayed in the
~~S~AS AVA SAAC AAAOA 1dUel, therefore,.
behold what a medium the organized
producers of articles Of food, wearing
apparel, household goods, or other COM
mdities sold at retail, have for the dis
trlbut1on Of goods bearing the label of
their respective organizations.
The clerks are grateful for the as
sistance they have received and are re-
ce1v1ng from other unions in promoting
early and Sunday closing of retail
stores, and now that a. union label is
being provided for nearly all kinds of
retail merchandise and they are in a
position to do so much in return, they
welcome the opportunity It remains
with organized labor to help make it
possible for none but goods bearing the
union label to be placed on the market
by trading with union clerks where
they can be found and by agitating un-
ionism among the unorganized.
Some hold that goods bearing the un-
ion label cost more than those without.
In some cases this may be true, but it
certainly costs no more to trade with
union clerks than with those who are
doing nothing for the cause. BY deal
ing with union clerks-those who can
show the card-a strictly union trans
action is assured. The label is promot-
ed and the customer has the satisfac-
ton Of adhering strictly to trade-union
princinles