The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-06-23
THE UNION AND
NON-UN|ON MAN

The non-un1on man, by accepting
up the standard Of living for the en-
tire craft. He may degrade the men
who required years of hard work to
bring themselves up to their present
social and economic level. 1t is be-
cause OF this fact that workingmen
object so strongly to Chinese and Jap
anese immigration. But what about
the non~uniop man who demands and
receives everything that the unionist
asks for? Surely, it may be said,. he
is not degrading the Workingmen.
That may be true for the present.
The time may como, however, when
the workingmen of his craft may have
grievance which will require a unit
ed protest against the unfair treat
ment OF the employer. Outside Of the
organization, that non-union man may
become a menace to our interests even
though he Is receiving union wages
and working union hours. He may be
used against us. Furthermore, he is
receiving the benefit of the years Of
sacrifice and hardship of his fellow
workmen without assuming any of the
obligations of the union. eli is quite
willing to have others fight his bat
ties, without subjecting himself to the
perils of the welfare, and frequently
his conscientious scruples' against
joining the labor union consist simply
Of an unwillingness to assume these
obligations.
"Limitation of Output.n
TO NJ -
urged against the trades union. This
is untrue, but practically, no atten-
ton is given the regular meetings OF
manufacturers and dealers in which
they openly discuss and agree upon
prices and the limitation of their pro-
duct In order to maintain these prices.
This applies to practically every great
corporation. In some Industries the
producer will cut or the supply of the
dealer If he sells the product cheaper
than the price demanded. Meanwhile
the same concern will insist on the
working man's right to sell his labor
for whatever price he pleases. Every
storekeeper despises the mrchant who
cuts his prizes, but he will usually
defend the workingmap who cuts his
ing the number Of apprentices in
particular shop. But We have been
compelled to resort to this measure
at times because some employers have
filled their shops with boys, who were
frequently kept at work on a partic-
ular machine or on the, same kind Of
special work which enabled them to
earn a mans wages in a year or two.
thus not only depriving the full-fledg-
ed mechanic OF his position, but, at the
end OF his apprenticeship, the young
man found himself a specialist" un-
able to pursue his craft as journey
man, and therefore replaced by an
other boy, who would pass through
the same experience.
In tho matter OF piecework. when
the employers found that by hard
spurts their employees could earn
little more than was customary. it
frequently happened that a reduction
was ordered in the piecework price,
so that soon this system in many
trades became "the pace that kills."
In practically every instance where
the rules Of the labor union seem un-
just or tyrannical we have been COM
PEELED, In self-defense to establish such
laws as would guarantees uS some pro-
lection against further encroachment
by unscrupulous employers.
The extra Ave minutes at the end
Of the day in order to finish a job"
became . regular thing. and soon 1t
heightened into Z QUARTER Of an hour
or longer. while frequently = protest
brought only abuse. Hence. the appar-
entity arbitrary ruling that under no
circumstances must man work be-
yend the time, limit.--A. +. Of 4. j..
Smoke PuFadoYA Cigar. Clear havana
r1naao iabsl and Hops 1GaAs