The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-04
TRADE UNIONS in FRANCE.

enforced a gainst the trade unions. From
1885 to 1S4s over /, 90 worklnen were ac-
cused OF the crime Of entering into COM
.binations, ana Of these q. 800 were sent TO
prison. while from 1s4S to 1864, there were
almost 5000 Workmen sent to prison for
the same offence. notwithstanding this
persecution few unions succeeded In:
organizing under the gulse of friendly
societies. ISL the comnositors and matters
maintaining a precarious exls tence under:
this form. Finally. in 1865. the unions,
without being made legal, were granted
federation SO long as they refraiped from
THE commission Of acts Of Violence or
from Interference With the freedom Of
labor. * NJ H nv 'Ei
Ii was not until 1854, however. that the
unions were placed upon firm legal
basis. In that year, through the activity
Sof Monsieur " aldeck- r ousseau, a sta
3tute was passed which is still the funda-3
mental ira des union law for! the coun-
try BY his 5lawftle unions we're entirely
Slegalized. it being merely provided that
cach$union, taking advantage of the la ".
place In tho hands of the government
officials a copy Of It's constitution and
bylaws and the names of is officers,
who must be Frenchmen In possession
of their. civic rights. The unions were
granted the right to unite into fedora
I lions. TO sue and to hold property, with
a proviso that they could only hold
enough real property to provide places
for meetings, IS as Well a.. libraries and and
technical schools a vi II. Eli
In Franc trade unions are Included
under tile head Of what may be called
trade association (syndicats profession
cls) These trade associations Include
beside the regular trade unions, organiza-
lions Of employers and mixed organiza-
tions. Thus, a u the present time. mere
are over $500 employers associations n
mining manufacturing, commerce and
agriculture the membership Of which
amounts to $1,000 There are lso 100 So
called mixed SSassocla tons, consisting Of
employers and worknen. In these or
ganizations the employers and workmen
each contribute a. certain share OF the
expense of the organization and provl-
sion Is made for aid IN ne case o. SICK ,l,
ness or accident, for8p pensions TO disabled
E or aged wo rl1men. for Wings banks ard
for. other similar purposes An associa-
.{tion composc cd, i no viewer, OF ndlyidual en-
8ployers and Workmen cannot take the
place. OF; a trade union and cannot repre-
sent the interests either OF the employ
3ers Or of the workinen. AS a result'the
include less than 81. COX, members, and they
are finding It difficult 10 maintain even
this number Of adherents !, -, q
Al the present time there are 6li,WO
members OF the French trade unions.
Tho organizations, although small. win
an average membership Of only 100 are
randy growing, their numbers having
more than. doubled within the last eight
or ten years, AS In England and the
United States the unions grew slowly
during The bad times after 1893, but from
1895 their growth has been phenomenal
This Is especially true IL Paris, IN which
| city 30 per cent. OF all tile French trade
unlonists arctic be found, The unions
| have spread into many grades. and, %cs-
pcolally during recent years, have at
| tracted large numbers Of women, AT the
| present time there are over 10000 Woner
| In thes regular unions and In the mlxcC
unions Of employers and workmcn. !
! is interesting to note that the proportion
1 Of women is much larger In the mlxtt
unit,ns and tina, these hynrid commune ,.,,na,
/ lions are strongest In the trades Whert
women CIR unskilled workmen are en-
i ploycd. and where the organization 0
i real trade unions Is difficult,
4 The French unions are largely cnga
i ed In solving the problem Of nnemploy
ment. Over 500 of then, have employ
|ment. offices. many of them have out-of
| mite payments to permit the member on
1 OF work 10 travel 10 other elites. IN
i unions also maintain general benei
1 funds, Libraries and, IN some eases
schoolstfor ncaltraining. co-operativ
societies, newspapers. old age funds, ac
cdent funds. and in the case 81 nv
ORGANIZATIONS Laboratories.
sUnfortuna tely, however, the unions ar
for the m ost part so small and so man
that they fail to have the same inl'uenc
upon wages, hours and conditions OF 10
bor,l that Is exertcd by American and Enf
lisll labor organizations. IN many case
Two or three or more unions exist 2 J
tie same trade and In the same town, an
friction and jealousy are ensendered y
this rivalry Thegunions, however, hay
now begun to form federations OF nj
tlonal scope, and about oncrt bird OF u
French trade unionists are organized "
der what may be compared with more
| less exactness to our national ana y
! ternalonaf organize tionss TINS the NJ
| tional federation Of miners. which v
| clndes about 5000 members or about OH
half of all the miners Of the connW
Iis now practically organized upon a n
tionnl basis. and the same rs true to
greater or less extent OF the metal Wor
ers. cnmposiiors, railway workers, al
members of the building trades, ~
compositors have been organized for
| long lime have Initiated mang reforms
| their Industry, have developed benefit fe
lures and have dealt with much Wisdo
! and d!scret ion with the questions Of /