Waterbury Democrat., 1902-12-12
QUESTION OF LABOR UNIONS.
Two Notable Speeches Before the Civic Federation Convention Unions and Employers Should Get Together--Efect of
 Labor Saving Machines the Labor Market

of inventions and improved DuSlnesS administration, and that the countries of low wages and long hours are coun- tries of small output, poor machinery and slow business methods. The work man wants high wages and short hours. The employer wants large output The two demands are matter of business agreement which depends on mutual confidence. Will not the negotiations be more successful when it is recog- nized that both demands are fair and honest, and that in making Its demands each side is working not only for its own interest but also for the good of the nation as whole?
 Take next the question of ap- tices. The union apparently has two objects in view: to limit numbers and to give each journey-man an all-around edu- cation in the trade. Both of these ob- Ijects tend apparently to restrict output with the modern increasing speciali- lzation the. employer does not need all- around men, and cannot afford to spare the t inc of his foreman and workman to teach the apprentice for three or more years the everal branches of the trade. Where the oy might be- come expert and speedy in one opera tion in six months, the union does not allow him to specialize until he has passed his apprenticeship. Apart from the question of wages does tho workman, who spends three years in learning a trade. and is then assigned permanently to an operation which he might have mastered with great speed in six months, does such a workman turn out less production than he would l if he had specialized from the first? If so, does his greater versatility and SUD- erior quality of work as an all-around man compensate the employer for the time and expense of teaching him the entire trade? The individual employ CT probably says no, if we may judge from the l arge proportion of workman who learn their trade in country towns, where competition is less stren- uons, and then seek the cities fox journeymen's wages.
 Apprentices might learn their trade | ill trade schools, but this would take ] off the l imitation on numbers which the union requires in order to maintain union wages. The uppermost ques- tions in this matter therefore are these: are high wages desirable, and if desir- able can they be maintained if the limits of apprentices are removed? AL so, is an all-around education in the trade an advantage to the modern form of specialized industry, and if so, can this be secured by other m cans than apprenticeship?
 l He submitted that the question of restriction of output could not be dis cussed until it W as clearly distinguish ed from the question of night wages and the m cans such as apprenticeship or membership in union, by which high wages were secured A union may demand that only skilled men shall be employed on machine This is not restriction of output. though it may be discrimination against the un- skilled man who might have secured Ian advance from common labor to ma chine labor.
 The question of isnoe of fact as well as of theory The ques- | tion of fact is this: Is it a minimum or a uniform wage that unions de- mand? The facts must be agreed up- on first, and then the discussion must be held to the acts, or else nothing but misunderstanding and hostility will result It is preposterous to denounce all unions for insisting on a uniform wage. The reasons that have led the unions to adopt them must be known.
 If union prohibits piece, ,and pre- mium systems it restricts output. Is this not the employers business? If unions exert themselves to get highet wages which the employer must pay whether he loses money or makes money, does it follow that they should leave the employer free to find the ways and means by which the money is earned to pay the wages?
 There is another argument often brought against piece work, namely, that it drives the workman to over exertion, injures his health and short ems his trade life. But the question comes up, is it piece work alone, or is lit other conditions connected with piece work that have an injurious ef- feet? Tn the clothing trade we have immigration, over supply of labor, seasonal work, long hours, small con- IITdcbOIS5 CuC7LuTOdE COnlpeLltAOll. lntSo conditions would probably drive work men to over-exertion on a day wage basis, but the piece work system prob ably intensifies the effect of the other conditions If employers wish to be free to adopt the piece work system, should they not join with the unions in studying and endeavoring to reme- dy those other conditions that 'go to make unions hostile to piece work?
 The object of piece and premiuni systems is to increase output. The Iinducement offered is higher pay for greater output. If the workman in lcreases his production 30 per cent when put on piece work, does it prove that he has been cheating his employ. Ter when he was paid by the day?
 There can be no lasting solution of this problem as long as each side be- Ilieves the other is dishonest.
 There are also a number of ques- Itions which employers and employees should agree upon in advance and bind themselves to abide by If unions restrict output, can they not frankly admit it and give their reasons? If