The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-24
NON.UNlON UNIONS Do WELL.
SUCCESS OF THE EXPERIMENT
MADE IN INDIANA.
WOrkmen Paid According to Their Skill
Some Get More Than Union wages
Relations OF Employer and Em.
plOyee ImprOy ed--Reguiar Unions Hurt


ployee Impro, eti--Reguiar Unions Hurt
INDIANAPOLIS. Ind, May 7s,-'The most
gratifying result which has followed our
organization OF so-called non-union
union said Munoie contractor to-day
when discussing the movement to band
free labor together ar 'ts right to work
in that city and others OF the State us
seen in the better work that the employees
do and In the cheerfulness with which II is
done.
"The union scale here ia thirty cents en-
hour. but there Is msn" pointing to
carpenter who was directing the setting
Of some porch columns) who has worked
for me for three years and l am paying
him 20 cents an hour He is the foreman
on this job and know that the work will 60
on just as fast and just AS we'll as though
were here all the time. That man on the
roof is getting rs cents an hour and 1t is all
he can elrn. Under the rule of the union.
both men would be receiving the az me
wages for though 50 cents is the MI xlmum
wa ge you must remember that there 10 really
no minimum among union men. As soon as
a man joins the union he wants the best
wages paid. and II YOU hire him at the
ma ximum and find him to be worth only the
minimum, you have to keep him or run tho
risk of having the job tied up.
This has been union town for the last
ten years and every contractor has felt that
he was paying good men too little and poor
men too much. But there was no help for II
till we formed n orga nization which admits
both the employer and the employee to
membership. Some of our men felt that
they were being Disseminated against
by the union when they were forced 70
work for the same wages as the saw.and-
Ratchet man. but when thew uttered com.
plants in the union against such rule
they were outnumbered by the cheap men
and there was nothing to do but submit
to the ma jority."
Investigation at Anderson, Muncie.
Marion. Columbus and other places where
the employers and employees have formed
though the workinen in the building trades
are graded according to their ability -
craftsmen. the average wages are higher
than those paid under the union scale Ia the
same cities Both the employers and the
EMPLOYEES say that the new system Is work
ing without friction and that while there
has been some discomfort on account Of
wages and hours, this has been settled
amicably between the men and the en-
ployers and there has been no suggestion
even Of strike since the organizations
were formed three months 60.
As nearly as can be ascert9ined without
an actual count there are now about 5000
members OF the non-union organizations
In the State, the employers numbering
about 500 Asked what appeared to be the
effect Of the new organization upon the
contractor said:
'The question answers itself when tell
you that the pick Of the labor organisa-
tons are coming TO US for work. For years
working by the side Of poor mechanics at
the same wage and without any hope Of
doing better. So they worked without
incentive.
III. " f X. n. he: eh' %Ssn THU D S"s put
work and show what he can do. II he l.
quick and accurate, he earns a good wage
and gets 1t. but II he IL slow or slovenly IN
biz work we either do not keep him or p put
wages But we give him a chance aud he
knows what his chance L.
THE effect on the contractors has been
quite az good. IA on the men, for they feel
nearer to their employees and give many
evidences Of appreciation that the union
rules made impossible. Last week a con-
tractor wanted to enclose a house before
Saturday night 10 get some money that he
was obliged to have. He explained to the
men that he could get the money II the roof
WAS on by Saturday night and asked them
to work An hour longer each day Every
man consented 10 work and It was nearly
dark ON Saturday evening when they quit
work.
.There was no agreement for extra pay.
but he gave each man so cents an hour for
his extra work Now. the union would
not have let them do such favor for an
employer. There's where the union mi Sos
il, for it il just such thing as that that
brings the contractor and his men together
and makes them good fnsnda.'
The leaders OF the labor unions were At
first inclined TO belittle the movement
among employers. and all prediction. were
th,t the non-union organizations would not
outast the season. but there has b.. n a
radical change Of sentim mt and new tactics
have been adopted to counteract the grow
ing sentiment among union men favornb BILE
TO the new organic lions.
The charges now being made that the
contractors are paying better wages in
many cases than the union scale, solely
for the purpose of enticing away the beet
men In the unions. and that If the unions
are broken up BY such methods the en-
ployres will find that they will be at the
mercy Of the contractors, who will pay
them what wages they please,