The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-02-17
TRADE UNIONS HAVE
MADE LABOR BETTER
Answer to Inquiry of Socialist
Who Holds That Organized
Labor Has Failed.
Claims That Unions are Incap-
able of Improving Condi-
tions of Workingmen.

A So.Iulist frierd on the street corner
Tho other evening devoted much df bis
time to an abuse Of trade unions. He
held that they had totally failed in
improving the conditions Of organized
labor.
We were not long in observing that
tbs enthusiastic dreamer had only stud
led the labor question from the Socialist
standpoint, and for his benefit We will
inform him Of some Of the things &C.
comr!ished by union labor. during re-
cent years.
Here are some illustrations that DEM
cnst1ate the advantages that havo &C.
crued to union people in recent years:
Thirty thousand bakers reduced hsu.s
of labor from IA to 10 per day, raised
wages from 5 Sto $14 a week, abolished
night work in many instances and en-
forced sanitary regulations. Class
workers reduced hours Of labor from ~
to 9 and eight hours per day, i'll
creased wages from IA to 40 par cert,
and minimized the child labor evil. Over
$4,000 longshoremen advanced wages
60 per cent cut hours OF labor 33 per
cent end smashed the padrone system.
Nearly half a. million miners decreased
hours Of labor fro m12 and IA to 8 and
Per day, raised wages 80 tt IS per
cen-, drove out "pluckme" stores, re-
duced child labor and enforced many
roakera. cut down .:oure Of labor from
10 to IL to 8, In many Instances doubled
wages. minimized tuberculosis ard
"thsr diseases and l:rscned and re-
s'r1 ;ned the swea.s1"2 curse.
More than a quarter of a million car
penters and woodworkers have gained
the and 9-hour day, Saturday half
holiday at many points and advances in
wages ranging from rs to 100 per cent.
In the printing industry the hours have
been reduced from 10 to IA per day to
and 9, and wages have done up Is to
so per cent.
Over 100000 machinists won Is per
cent increase in wages and gained a re-
duction of one hour in the working day.
Bricklayers. stonecutters, granite cut
tiers now work eight hours at wages
1s to 40 per cent higher.
In no branc hot Industry was the
sweatshop and all Its concomitant evils
OF disease and misery more generally
manifested than among the clothing
workers. Hours of labor have been
reduced as much as so per cent, wages
have advanced sanitary conditions en-
forced. Retail clerks have gained a
reduction of working time averaging
an hour a day, and the maker of hats
and caps are better off by reason of
having unions.
The men who work on buildings cut
down their hours Of toll one-third and
raised wages from 1925 and $3.50 to
1900 and $3.50 per day; last year over
1000 firement reduced their labor time
from l ITO hours a day and increased
wages per cent; foundry laborers in
creased wages from $1.15 to 81 per day
and reduced hours from 10 to 9 a day:
organized freight handlers in less than
-FOUR years raised wages 80 per cent
and cut hours Of labor from II dawn to
10 per day; cement workers count bene-
hts obtained through their unions at
300 per cent The street railway en-
ployes forced up their minimum paw
from II cents to 20 cents per hour and
reduced their working time from IA to
8 hours a. day.
The workers who toll in breweries.
in theoters, hotels and restaurants the
boot and shoe workers, moulders. boil
ermakers, metal polishers and brass
workers, blacksmiths and carriage
makers, electrical workers, painters.
plumbers, seamen and MANY others
even the actor and bill posters, the
schoolma' ans have some benefits to re-
port that they would not have if thew
were unorganized and household SER
wants and janitors and farm hands.
where organized, all organized.