The wageworker., 1905-12-22


The labor unions stand upon well defined
principles, and should be judged by these prin-
ciples, as to their soundness and benefit to the
community. There has been much lawlessness,
much violenSe. and many mistakes ON the part
of organized Labor but these are more than bal
anced by the greed, aSdsiSe and heartlessness
Of the master class. Labor Unions must stand
or fall by the conditions they are striving to
bring about, and the principles and ideals they
upho1ding. Some of the most important of
these are: First, Collective bargaining for
the sale OF labor, opposed to the individual
contract. The unions believe that the individ-
ual in bargaining for the sale of his labor must
always accept what the employer will pay, as
the worker must have work starye, but the
employer always get other worknen. The
history Of labor clearly shows that the llnre-
stricted employer always tries to get labor at
a less and less wage, and even imports foreign
ers, with their lower standard of living. To
make collective bargaining successful, all work
must be in the union Of their trade. This
has led to the much discussed question of to-
day. the open closed shop Labor unions
class stand for the closed shop, using this
as means to get all workmen into the unions.
Union men have been freely criticised for their
refusal to work with norl-uniou men. It seems,
however, that the very life or death of labor
unions hinges on this one question. If the
unions are working for the best interests of
the wage Garner, then all wage earncrs should
be members and help in the work.
Second-Wages The unions have always
demanded better wages and better standards
of living for the workman. Much has already
been accomplished but there is still much to.
do John Mitchell believes that the lowest
paid worker should receive a minimum wage
of $3.50 per week When one looks closely
into the items that make up family budget,
and considers that today we want children in
school until 16 years of age, it seems almost
So, 4i,e
If sickness comes, it almost immediately
plunges them into the poverty class. / wish
-tn plead for standard of living in which every
family may have a home and grass plot,
where children may be raised in pnrc air and
sunshine, and have the happy school days of
youth, instead of the pinchng poverty, its toil4
ing hours, the Joyess existence of such vast
number of slum children of today.
Third-Hours of Labor: The unions stand
for an eight hour day, as they stood a few
years ago for the reduction OF hours from II
to TO- Labor is now intense and without doubt
the worker of today produces much more
his eight hours than produced by the
worker of 100 years ago in his fourteen hours.
Fourth-Conditions of Labor: The labor
unions believe in healthy, sanitary and safe
conditions for all labor. 1t has been largely
through the demands of organized labor that
factory inspection laws have been passed. The
unions are opposed to the sweat shop system
of labor. They working today for laws
compelling manufacturers to have factories
and to have all goods manufactured there, thus
doing away with the working OF women, chill
dren and men in crowded tenement houses.
The sweat shop system is today one of the
greatest evils that the master class has to an
swer for, and labor unions are entitled to great
credit for their fight against this condition.
Fifth--Work Of Women and Children: The
employment Of women in our industries is SO
extensive and SO much part of our life, that
Al f.1~~~ - =
posed their working The unions rather stand
for the amelioration of the hardships of wom-
ems work, and for equal pay with men fof
equal work. They oppose women working in
the industries which require great physical
strength and endurance, as in r1ines iron mills
and foundries. 1t was largely through the ef-
forts OF the labor unions in England and this
country that the working OF women in mines
was done away with, and we hope the unions
and the people who believe in fuller devel-
opment OF human life will not relax their eff
forts until child labor in our factories and
mines is thing OF the past. Women and chill
dren are employed in the factories because
they will work cheaper than men, and because
there has been such insane race between
employers to produce goods cheaply. AS near
ly as can be determined the average wage for
women in this country is $3.50 per week, ac-
cording to the United States Department OF
Labor. AS one writer puts it Give dollars
week means hess than proper amount OF nour-
shing food, less than room to herself, less
than sufficient clothing to protect her from the
wet and cold. 1t means the sacrifice OF most
OF the comforts and many of the decencies OF
life There is growing belief now that
healthy prosperous and satisfied workman will
do more work even in proportion to his wages
than the workwoman. This is because wom-
en- with few exceptions, consider their work
temporary they look forward to marriage and
a home life
Sixth-Attitude Towards Machinery: There
has always been more or less determined OPP
position theSpart of labor unions to labor
saving machinery. but this is passing away
and today the great mass OF unionsts have
been convinced that prolonged resistance to
machinery is impissible Fand that the, real
IContinued on Pope Four1