The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-04-29
LABOR ORGANIZATIONS
-. !. ARE. FALSELY ACCUSED
Not True That Trade Unions
are Working For
Selfish Ends.
Aim of Labor Movement Is to
Secure Economic Equali-
ty For Men.

Trades unions are alleged to be pure
~ selfish institutions working for
selfish ends and consequently in oppo-
s1tion to public and, in fact, all other
interests. The allegation is based on
the fact that trades unions strive to
improve the Industrial life of the work.
ers. This they strive to do by increas-
ing wages, reducing the hours of labor
and improving any and all conditions
that impose upon the workers, whether
those conditions are the, established
ones of full competition, accepted"
legitimate business principles ,avari-
cious individual ambitions and profit
making or the artificial conditions
growing out of special privileges or
control. The ultimate aim of the labor
movement is to secure economic equity
for labor.
Each trades union as an autonomous
body of the greater federated move
ment is engaged in this work in its
own industrial sphere. The further
ance Of this work is not free, untram-
meled or without opposition. Every
inch of the way is combated; every
advance has been gained only after in
Vulnerable defeats and bitter struggles.
Those of our critics who criticise from
a standpoint of the highest ethical
consideration views the trades union
movement apart from the opposition
and conflict with which it is con-
fronted and fail to appreciate that the
opposition to organized labor is neither
influenced or guided in it's warfare by
ethical considerations. It is impossi
BILE for organized labor alone to estab-
fish industrial peace only by uncondi-
tional surrender. If ethics prescribes
this course, no movement of the people
has ever voluntarily submitted, but has
followed compulsion.
The selfishness ascribed to unionism
as universal movement is no more
than the highest form of enlightened
self interest. It is not that selfishness
which disregards or denies and ex-
cludes others from equal right, oppor-
tunities or share Of the emoluments
About everything in the nature of i'm
proved industrial conditions has been
secured by organized labor, and those
improvements are enjoyed by the non
unionists equally with unionists or
those who bore the burdens Of securing
them. Certainly improving industrial
conditions is not an interference with
the interests of any element Of work.
ers. IT 1t is, it must continue, and
only those workers who deliberately
set their faces against organized labor
and oppose its work in the interests of
the workers and it's progress toward a
better standard Of living are adversely
affected. Refusal to work with non
uniondsts and insistance upon buying
only the products of union labor are
made necessary by the attitude Of the
unorganized. That which protects and
is in the interests of organized labor
likewise protects and promotes the in
terests of the unorganized.
The whole history of the labor move
ment conclusively proves it.. What are
often. considered, at least termed, meth
DDS Of force or coersion of organized
labor are more often in reality pro-
tective measures, not only in the inter-
ests Of organized but all labor. The
burdens, sacrifices and work incident
to gaining improved industrial condi-
tions were and are borne almost en-
ttrely by organized labor, and i'm
provements as have been gained were
actually gained in spite of the indiffer-
ence, apathy and in many instances
antagonism of organized labor. To be
sure, there is an element of unholy
selfishness connected with the work of
organized labor, as there is with any
and every other movement, whatever
its name.
Nevertheless the selfishness which
uplifts high and noble ambitions, dis
semfnates helpful influence, secures
benefits for the many, improves the
condition Of the people and promotes
higher civilization is more peculiar to
and part of the trades union move
ment than any other movement in the
Industrial world.