The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-06-09
non Uh|0N|sTs STAND
IN THEIR own LIGHT
They are Competitors Against
Their Own Best Interest at
Their Trades,
Every Time Union Labor
Scores a Victory It Gives
Some Benefit to All.

Scores a Victory It Gives
Some Benefit to All.
Can q wage-earner be a non-unionist
by unselfish and unshackled prefer
ence?
A reply to this question Is easily
reasoned. The non-un$ontst is the
wage worker whose craft has q
recognized trade or labor union OF
which he has an opportunity to be a
member and declines to do so. Let
the non-unionist ask for himself what
advantage he enjoys fro mhis labor
that is denied the unionist?
Recompense-or, by another term,
wages lis the only incentive for la
Dor, and most directly 1t is so with
the wage Garner. It is a desire for
recompense that causes one to seek
or accept Of service with an employer
or employing corporation, and very
often it is absolute necessity that
prompts the desire. With tho wage
Garner recompense Is the only direct
benefit from his labor, and 1t is all
that han can and does expect. Then
the only advantage the non-unionist
can expect by remaining a nom
unionist rather than become a member
of tho union. Is, that non unionism will
bring to him a higher wage rate than
can result from unionism. Can the
non-unionist truthfully say that by
virtue of non-unionism he is receiving
higher rate of wages? If he must
answer this uestion ~ the negative,
then he admits that non-unionism is
not productive of his particular inter-
est. The kuestion has never been
answered in the affirmative.
Can the non-unionist point to an
illustration Of union1sm lowering
wages below non-union standard? II
he cannot, than he has no real griev-
ance against the union. Has the non
unionist ever observed an instance
where the wage rake has bmeen adj
Vanced by. union men beyond that
which he is receiving. or beyond that
which was being received prior to an
effort or request by the union? If
so, 1t is practical evidence that union
ism Is promottve Of the personal in
terests Of the member.
The average unionist is well aware
OF the myriads Of instances where men
have advanced the wage rate for
services, and well knows by COM
parison that men working under union
conditions are receiving better COM
pensat1on for labor.
Considering these points, the posi-
t1On No r}~k t.
IRENE embarrassment. Ulterior arxu-
ments count nothing in destroying
his self consciousness Of the fact He
Is unionist from the most natural
standpoint. He il receiving less than
a satisfactory return for his labor. and
he knows that tn comfy means of Sc
curing a more satisfactory compensa-
ton is by uniting his interest with
that OF the other wage earners in a
common effort. BY doing SO he be-
comes part of a trade union, as such
uniting Of effort is SIMPLY and purely
unlon1sm, by which, in the measure
OF the strength of the union, COMPETE
ton Is destroyed, and just so far as
competition may be coun>..acted, exac-
tions may be made upon the employer
The position of the non-unionist Is
that Of competitor against his own
direct interest. He Is ,.- only lower
ing the standard Of wage to others
but he is direct contributor to the
influence that forces upon himself an
unsatisfactory recompense Thus, from,
the point OF his own personal interest
the "ase-worker can not be q non
un1onfst by preference. He realizes
ne Is receiving an under rate OF waee,
he knows he is receiving a rate of
wage not proportionate with the Dos
s1bility of the employer to pay. He
knows he can not ASK his EMPLOYER
Tor an Increase single-handed with anv
expectancy OF getting 1t. He knows
enat' notwithstanding every argument
used against organized labor, the only
meatns through which we can possibly
obtain higher rate of wage than
voluntarily paid by the EMPLOYER is
the trade union. He knows that an
organization has pushed the ware rate
up, It has even fixed higher standard
or voluntary wage to the non-union1st
although less than the union scale
knowing all these facts, the non-un-
1onist knows himself to be non-union-
1st at heart, and he knows that, DESPITE
any possible arguments to the con-
trary, and even though the benent ia
be derived should lie in the matter
OF wage competition only, his place
Is within the union of his craft: and
MS cert1hcat sof sound business sense
should be certificate of membership
IN his trade union.-Motorman and
Conductor.