New-York tribune., 1901-05-26
LABOR STRIKES.
HOW THE WORKINGMEN OF THIS COUN-
TRY ARE ORGANIZED, AND WHAT
THEIR UNIONS DO FOR THEM.

movements and organized labor has come be
fore the public in conspicuous manner in the
form of strikes, loCkOutS and sympathetic
strikes. Millions of dollars have been sacrificed
by employers and employed, business has been
suspended. plans have been changed. property
destroyed and lives sacrificed in order that
'principIe" might be maintained. The labor
movements usually preceded by much de
liberation. and they are made possible by eX-
tensivc organization on the part of the work
men, there are in the United States 18Th labor
organizations affiliated with the American Fed
Grafton OF Labor OF these 81 are known as
national and international unions, II are State
branches. POI are city central unions and 1.0l7
are known as local trade and federal labor
unions.
The national and international union offices
are the headquarters Of nearly all the impor-
tant trades and are situated in various parts
Of the United States. Thus the headquarters
If the Bakers and Coufectinners organization
are ut Cleveland; the BARRIERS also at Cleve-
land: the Bicycle Workers at Toledo. Boiler
makers at Kansas City. Boolbnders' at New
York Book and Shoe Makers at Boston. Up
hosterors' at Chicago, Typographical Union at
indianapolis, Tobacco Workers at Louisville,
Tailors' at Bloomington. H.; Stage Employees at
Chicago. Railroad Photographers at st. Louis.
Printing Pressmen at Brooklyn. Musicians at
St. Louis, Granite Cutters at Boston. Electrical
Workers at Rochester. Carpenters at New
York Cigarmakers' at Chicago, Garment Work
ers' at New York, Painters and Decorators at
LAFAYETTE. Ind: Steel and Wire Workers at
Pittshurg Brewery Workers at Cincinnati.
Horseshoers' at Denver. Laborers' at Lowell,
Mass. etc.
Every trade has its unions in the important
I'm,
hers OF these unions pay monthly dues which
range from ~ cents to ~ cents. Being III mLcrs
Of the union they receive all the benefits Of the
organization. These include the right to vote
on all affairs that come up for discussion at the
meetings and having their grievances taken care
Of All questions as to wages, hours of work.
etc. placed in the hands If men employed
for the purpose Of having them settled and ad-
justed. In Of removal from one city 10 an
other the member in good standing receives
card which he presents To the foreman OF a job
in the town where he wishes to obtain cmploy-
ment, and this card is his passport. 1t shows
that he is a regularly accepted member Of tn
union. and as such is entitled 10 the protection
and the consideration Of unions beyond the
jurisdiction Of his own organization. In case
OF the ath Of a member burial cXr-us IS are
provided by the union usually to the amount of
the balance may be turned over TO the heirs
When locked out or on strike the member re
ceves strike pay which is usually sufficient 10
keep him from actual want. There various
ways OF collecting strike pay. In some instances
the local organization pays its members Ger
tain amount until IN. funds are exhausted = IA n
n demand is made On the national organization.
Ia other cases. whore the local unions have no
reserve fund. because all their money is turned
in at to the national body. the strike pay
is drawn from the national headquarters. In
order that the parent organ iZation may be sup
piled with funds the unions pay per capita
tax of from to 10 cents. The membership of
the unions cannot however. hc computed from
the returns made 10y these payments. because
in many instances returns are made only Tor
members in good standing; that is the is
paid only for such members have paid up To
date, and as the delinquent list in some unions
is often large the membership may safely De
counted as Onc-quartcr in excess Of the returns
made to the national organization. y union
may have membership Of six hundred and if
only four hundred have paid up returns for only
four hundred will be made to the national
organization.
WORK OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION.
obligations to the American Federation of Labor
and are compelled to pay annual per capita
tax Of five mills 10 that organization. In