The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1906-12-05
"A Trades Union Story

story, even to the names of the par
ticipants, SO the name of the city
may be omitted. Doerner employ
ed twelve or fifteen men. and one
day an organizer for the maohin-
lists union appeared in their midst
and persuaded them to organize a
union. The charter was secured.
and then an agreement and a soale
of wages were drawn up and pre-
sented to Doerner
"WelI. boys" said Doerner, 81
have nothing against unions. but I
think you ought to give me a little
time. Suppose youlet me think it
over for q. week"
The men agfeed to this. and
Doerner spent the week in making
some Investigations. At the end
of the week he called his employees
before him and said:
"Well, boys. do you still want
me to recognize your union?"
They declared that they did.
"And you want me to support
union prinoiplesf"
They insisted that the boss was
correct.
"And if 1 stand by union prin.
oiples you will do the samef"
The men eaid they would
well, boys" said Doerner, II
have been investigating, and 1 find
that you are asking me to do what
you don't do yourselves. You ask
ME to agree to employ only union,
labor. but you employ what you
call 'scab' Amt 1 got as much
right to do that as you haveP"
The spokesman for the men in.
dignantly denied the charge
"You only employ union labor
when you want work done?" queri.
ed Doerner
Sure! We wouldn't employ
'soabs' at any price," declared the
men.
well. boys" said the old man,
''if every one of you has got Oh
union made clothing 1 will sign the
agreement. Now show up"
LESS than half the men could
chow the label in their coats
well. if all of you have on union
made shoes I'll sign the agree
ment."
Investigation shows that only
two or three had on union made
shoes, and from list in his pocket
Doerner proved that about half of
the men had on shoes that were
penitentiary made.
We'll, that's too bad, boys" said
Doerner. But I'll give you one
more chance If every man who
uses tobacco has got union made
tobacco in his pockets I'll sign the
agreement"
Not man had that kind of TO-
baoco.
boys, it amt fair to ask me to
do something you won't do your
selves. Now I'll postpone signing
that agreement for a while I'm
in favor of unions. but the employees
ought to be willing to- keep step
with the employer. When you
men can come here, every one with
union made clothing. union made
hats, union made shoes and union
made everything else that is made
anywhere by men of your class, I'll
sign the agreement, and 1 won't
sign it until then. If you want to
strike. all right But if you do I'll
publish to the world the truth
about this conference, and 1 guess
the rank and file of the unions will
STAND by me"
The men did not strike. They
pondered on the lesson and discuss.
ed it among themselves A month
later they again appeared before
Doerner and stood the test. The
boss signed Immediately, but de-
clared that if they broke their i'm
piled contract with their fellow
unionists he would feel at liberty
to break his contract with the ma
ohinists' union. The shop is still
unionizsd. and the men are con-
sistent trade unionists yet.
This story may interest but a
small per cent of Register readers.
but its truth may impress the few
who do take an interest in such
matters There is a moral CON-
oealed about it, and if it is disolos-
ed it may have some effect in future
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