New-York tribune., 1901-05-26

fifty thousand men went on strike last week
In this instance the men asked that the work
day be reduced to nine hours. for which they
wanted ten hours pay This organization has
its national headquarters at Washington. d. c.,
and has seventeen local organizations in New
York and this vicinity. which is known as Dis
trct No. 10 The membership is large; one
union in New-York has seven hundred members.
and two in Brooklyn have about six hundred
each. The State embership is about fourteen
thousand. ard the unions strength in the United
States is about Seventy-twO thousand. An ap
prentice is eligible and may be elected as
half years, but he is not entitled full MEM
herShip until he has been three years ap
prentice. The dues average - cents q month,
and members are entitled to sick and funeral
benefits and in case of strike married
ceive 81 and unmarried men 81 a week while the
strike lasts
While the demands of the machinists were un-
der consideration shops in all parts of the coun-
try were affected. but many of the employers
mad terms with their men. 50 that on Wednes-
day the number of strikers had been reduced to
thirty thousand. and the prospect of Il settle
ment seemed bright.
THE FOUNDING OF THE FEDERATION.
The American Federation of Labor was made
@
Labor and the Amalgamated Labor Union.
These bodies called convention. which met AZ
Tcrre Baute. Ind in August. 1881, for the
purpose OF supplanting the knights of Labor
with new secret order. The convention did not
succeed in the work which had been planned
for ii. and another call was issued for a con-
vention, To be held Pittsburg in November.
1881 AT this convention 1o1 delegates We're
present. representing 2s;2use workmen At that
meeting permanent organization was effected
under the name Federation of Organized Trades
and Labor Unions of the United States and
Canada The present name adopted at the
meeting held at Columbus. Ohio. in December,
1856
Although the cause Of labor was aided by the
organization OF the national body. there had
been revo!ts and uprisinSs long before central
labor ORGANIZATIONS We're heard Of Carroll Il.
Wright in a book devoted To the subject Of
labor. tells OF a strike among the journcymen
shoemakers of Philadelphia in 1SltI. They struck
for an increase of from - cents to ~ cents
a pair of shoes. This strike lasted six seven
weeks. and unsuccessful. The strikers
We're tried for conspiracy Before this. in No
vembcr. 1888 the sailors strike took place Al
that time sailors received Si0 a month. They
demanded an increase in their pay. formed in
body marched through the city and com
pc!cI other scarncn ho were employed at the
same rate &, leave the ships and join their
ranks. The strikers were pursued and dis
pcrsed by the constahles who arrested the
leaders and lodged them in Jail. The strike
was Il failure In 1909 the journeymen cord
waners Of New-York struck In those days
suspension of work at shop known as
strike. and general stoppage in all the
shops Of the trade termed general
turnout"
In 1917 a peculiar strike took place at Mod
ford. Mass y shipbullder of that place. Thach-
or MnSoun. abolished the groE privilege which
was customary all shiuyaris at that tiW".
The words No rum We're posted ~ conspicuous
places IN the yard. and notice was given To the
men that no liquor should bc used in the work
shops Many of the men refused tn work. but
th,+ finally surrendered. and the ship was built
without tn. use Of liquor. From ISL To l>$l
there were several strikes. but never more
than one or two in Il year. The strike involving
the greatest number Of persons in that time
took place at Lynn. Mass. in 1>::; when more
than Z; thousand women shocbindcrs refused To-
take any more WORK until the price of binding
had been increased The manufacturers re
fused accede to the demands Of the binders.
and the strike. after three four weeks.
10 an unsuccessful termination.
HISTORIC STRIKES
In the year 1880 strikes became popular and
from 1881 To 1856 there 3Gr2 strikes of
sufficient imDOrtance q u noticed by rOy-