New-York tribune., 1901-05-26

| ala not aN1ll themselves of the
make them pay an initiation fee before they can
| joint the union here. This fee is about SD in
| nearly all the building trades. and need NOT no
/ pald in lump. The man is taken to a meeting,
ana II accepted and found willing to bide bv
the laws governing the organization ne is re-
quned to pay to the union - per of his
earnings until the amount due for initiation
mas been paid. This fee, if properly looked upon,
! is not a hardship; ii constitutes an anchor for
] the man. He has invested a respectable amount
ana TINS has tendency to make him steady.
Every trade has its delegate. who is known as
the walking delegate" because it is his bus-
ness to circulate among the various shops and
works in order to keep in touch with the mem
hers of the organizations, hear their grievances
adjust difficulties collect dues and see that the
aims of the union carried out. 1t is impossi-
! Bile for the walking delegate to keep informed
as to what is going in the various places
over which he has authority unless he has help.
and for that reason he has assistant, dep
uty, at the various buildings other places
here union people employed, who is known
as the shop steward" This official receives no
pay, ptng commission on the money he
collects but he has a higher standing, because
Of his deputyship among his brother journey
. mon The delegate receives from him the cards
Of out-of-town workmen and information to
grievances etc. The delegate himself usually
I receives for his services from 20 cents TO 81 a
day more than the journcynIen of his trade
He keeps the books. looks after the finances. at
I tends to the correspondence with the higher u
thorities. and in case of trouble between the
men and their employer. he orders a strike. In
many RESPECTS the walking delegate is auto
/ ciat. His order To men to leave work and go
strike is not questioned. and his actions
rarely opposed When grievances have assumed
such form that amIcabe adjustment cannot
be arrived at the delegates representing the
various trades usually have meeting. hear the
side az the men. and. If possible, that of the en-
plovcr and when these have been taken into
. consideration and il Incomes apparent that no
settlement can uc reached the strike is ordered
The mon are told that at "A certain hour they
must leave the works.
"I;citvcsu meetings." said an intelligent mem
h,r of 4 jrad.s union. the walking delegate is
king II, may come To our shop and. without
anybody knowing why. tell the foreman that
. every body must go on strike at some hour that
day and The chances are that the people will go
and say nothing. Being out means a loss 'f
NOR, than hAifpay for the whole lot. but nobody
kicks. because Il IS enough 20 know the strike
VAS ordered by the delegate. But a day .pf
T r,ckouiuG comes AZ the next meeting of the
union Then somebody wants 10 know what
ihc strike IS al about and there usu-
al.y enough has bcrns' and want To be's' to
make things very unpleasant for the dele
gate IL H. can't prove that the strike was
justiiiablc. II II turns out that the strike was
for Il trivial cause, Mr.. Delegate is pretty sure
. t. ana himself in the ranks with other journey
r.cu iu a short time and his chances for pro
motion after that viii be small because people
wiz remember that ne was the cause Of their
r,r-l, Ing strike ray when fun pay might have
been earned"
james T. Ieyr,lts who has given the subject
Of labor organisations considerable study. SAID
I'll, labor ioad.r is a misunderstood man hy
tn, public in general. and h. Is oi;rurr com
Del - to- order strikes than the average c!tizen
believes. Tn. majority II labor leaders. in lay
opinion. resort "a strikes only last meas
ure and they recognize that strikes should II
possible. hc avoided.
RECENT LABOR TROUBLES.
The three labor movements which attracted
great attention recently showed various phases
Al Albany she omrloscs of The traction com
pany refused to work with who Gid not
beIong t. this uuio0. ana struck tecausr the
company would r.t discharge the nou-union
men. Thu strike cost tie state much money for
TRANSPORTING and maintaining national guards
men who were sent 10 the scene 10 maintain
order IL cost the lives of tstimahie citi-
Zcns TIE traction company lost about >2oon.
and the employees sacrificed about $lS"pb. while
the expense to Albany County exceeded $1,000
! according to published reports.
The strike the part of the members OF the
Brickaycrs' Union ordered for another