The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-05-09
BY Daniel j. keefe.

dHI"l III favor OF annual trade agree
ments, the meeting of employers and
workers and adjusting their differences.
However, in order that the workers
may be able to present practical ar
gument, it is necessary that all the men
of that particular trade or calling be
a part Of the organizations; for IL we
expect to get conditions for the men,
we must be able to represent all the
men, and say to the employers that
they are part Of the organization.
Our agreements date back for sew
eral years: am not aware Of any vio-
lation Of them. We do not issue ulti-
matums, nor do we encourage the other
fellow to do so. We take the position
that II we are not able to present sufft-
clent arguments showing why our de-
mands should be complied with, we
are not entitled to the changes asked
for. We acknowledge the employer
has a perfect right to present such
argument as he deems in keeping with
his side OF the question, showing that
the conditions will not admit Of his
complying with our demands. We
have, perhaps, established q different
system than most business organiza-
tons, for ours is business organiZa-
ton. First, we have every man In the
organization, from the low wage-work-
er to the very highest and best paid
man on the lakes, whether he be an
engineer, remain, captain, or longshore-
man, whose work Is directly or indi-
rectly connected with the dock or
water front work. When the time ar
rives to make our annual agreements,
there are notices sent out from the
general office to the different locals
interested, to elect delegates to the
conference. Those delegates are obliged
to bring credentials from their local
organizations, showing that they have
agreed to whatever understanding may
be arrived at the conference. The dele
gates have absolute power to make
such agreements, as they deem best for
the men. After we get together, there
are several days devoted to general dis
cussion. After that we have the con-
VentiOn, and select a committee to meet
with the employers. The satisfactory
feature of it, however, is that there are
some hundred and twenty delegates
present, and you cannot constitute a
committee of that number. The COM
mittee is composed of five, as rule,
but as the hundred and twenty have
discussed the matter pro and con, for
some time, and understand the situa-
ton very well from data and different
reports Of the cost Of production, trans
portation, and other costs, among
Observation-Disclosures the committee has
arrived at an understanding or an
agreement with the employers-the
delegates have a general idea OF what
it is going to be. We do not return to
our convention and report that we have
done something subject to it's approval.
1t Is natural for the working people to
suppose that all that is required of
their committee is to prepare their de
rnand, present it to the employer, and
have it signed and returned. But
through these discussions we have been
able to bring out the strong and the
weak features of our side Of our de-
mands.
We have no strikes, it has been we'll
said, for this reason: Every man is
part of the agreement, whether he
handles lumber, coal or iron ore; or is
an engineer. holster or fireman, or
whether he is an elevator employee or
tug captain That, Of course, prevents
any misunderstanding. Our agree
ments provide that any question aris-
ing not covered by the agreement must
be adjusted by some method of arbi-
tration which is provided for. There is
no getting away from that! if a ques-
ton does arise which can be only Of a
detailed nature, or of no great moment.
the committee on arbitration will ad-
just it, the work continuing, and both
sides abide by the decision.
"o have had drripo tho 1oot WOO =
two important strikes that We were
Indirectly interested in. One was at
Algiers, La, with the freight handlers
employed by the Southern Pacific; the
other was the Great Lakes tug strike.
The first was settled through Mr..
Hanna communicating with a member
Of the board, Mr.. Krutschnitt, vice
president of the Southern Pacific, who
took the matter up with myself, when
I was on the Pacific Coast, where ar
rangements for conference We're made,
and it required only a very short time
to adjust the difference satisfactorily
to both sides.
The tug strike was Of considerable
Importance; both sides commended they
were right. The commerce OF the lakes
was being interfered with. Senator
ties together. but at first failed: there
was more or less correspondence passed
between your chairman and our office.
The commerce was being ir1terfered
with to such an extent that something
must be done. We had some thirty
seven thousand men who came directly
in contact with the handling OF the
cargoes carried or transported from one
place to another. However we did not
become involved in the strike. Our
folks realized they had agreements, and
they must DO carried out. Every menu
Der of the organization is furnished
with a copy Of the agreement in hook
form, which he carries with him; the
rules OF the organization ara that he
must have copy with him at all times;
so that If question arises he cal, take
out his book Of agreement and see what
is expected Of him. and in this way
no friction will occur. The tug strike
was finally: brought to a satisfactory:
settlement through your chairman.
One qf5 the conditions Is that future