Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-03-17
BUILDING CONTRACTORS FORM
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION.
With the Idea OF Making Skill and Efficiency
the Standard in Employing Labor.-Asso.
citation Adopts Set Of Rules for its
Guidance.

A national association OF building con-
tractors was recently organized in Chi
cago, and other cities throughout the
country are getting in line with the prin-
! ciples laid down at the meeting, says the
Mississippi Valley Lumberman. While
the organizations are not necessarily an
tagonistis to labor unions, they are act
ing on the question OF employment Of
labor, and the rules they have adopted
are not strictly in agreement with the
rules laid down by the labor union. COW
ering the employment OF laborers. Every
one OF the eight rules enunciated by a
recently formed organization OF this
kind in Milwaukee has its inception
from rules of labor unions more or less
at varisnce with them. They are as
| follows:
l. That there shall be no limitation
az to the amount OF work man shall
do during his working day.
9. That there shall be no restriction
of the use of machinery or tools.
8. That there shall be no restriction
of the use of any manufactured material
except prison made.
4. That no person shall have the
right to interfere with the workmen dur
ing working hours,
s. That the use use Of apprentices
shall not be prohibited.
6 That the foreman shall be the
agent of the employer.
| Z. That all workmen are at liberty
to work for whomsoever they see fit.
s.. That all employers are at liberty to
employ and discharge whomsoever they
see fit.
! Embodied in them all is the idea to
make skill and efficiency standard in
the employment of workmen rather than
an utilization with labor organizations.
Though number OF labor unions have
rules at variance with the first OF the
foregoing, it cannot but be recognized
that this rule is proper one and good
one for both the workman and the en-
ployer. 1t gives the employer what he
is entitled to-the best efforts OF the
men he hires, and it gives the good
workman the chance to better himself
by showing that he is worth more wages
than the man Of inferior ability. 1t is
better for him than his own rules which
would tend to hold him back from adj
vancement. The second rule is lees
necessary in this country than the
others, for.it has been the disposition OF
American workmen to oppose the install
lation Of improved machinery.
The third rule is the result OF prac.
tice that has caused the employers q
considerable amount OF ANNOYANCE.
When the labor unions have had suffi-
cient ctrength to be arbitrary, they have
frequently insisted that no material
other than that which is union made
shall be used on work on which they are
employed. 1t has been used by them in
the most absured manner. An instance
is the refusal OF union stone masons to
use stone that was quarried thousand
miles away in a quarry where non-union
men we're employed. 1t has frequently
been employed to force contractors to
purchase materials of certain manufac-
turers, where they might have pur-
chased much more cheaply elsewhere.
| The fourth rule is protective measure
that belongs OF right to he employer of
labor. He is entitled to the services Of
the men he employs during working
hours, and ought not to be expected to
submit to interruption of work by the
visitation Of walking delegates or agents
of labor unions.
The fifth rule arose from the practice
OF unions in limiting the number Of
apprentices that shall be employed &c
an arbitrary proportion of the whole
number OF workmen employed on par.
tcular pieces Of work.
The sixth rule is right because the con.
tractor must necessarily have repre-
sentative on each piece OF work he has
under contract who shall look after his
interests.
, The seventh and eighth rules merely
emphasize the fact that this is free
country, and that no man who is willing
to work should he prevented therefrom
+ regardless of utilization with labor un'
, ions and regardless of everything excep
that he is an American citizen or man
with the right to earn living.
} All of these rules are questions o
principle which labor unions must rec
ognize. Individually they recognize tn,
right to buy what they want at the plac,
where they can get the things they want
r at prices that are satisfactory. VIVA
right then have they to dictate to al
p, employer that he shall not pursue tn,
same course with respect to labor? En-
! ployers are not disposed to be unfai
with their workmen. So long as maj
is doing his employer justice there viii
be no danger Of his being discharged
Ii he is doing less he had ought not t,
} expect to be employed. The workman
I is worthy OF his hire, and rules canno
make him worth any more. The 600,
workman will get all that is his due, an,
the value OF the poor workman will b
regulated by what he is able to do.