The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-01-13
'NAGEs REGULATED
BY LABOR UNIONS
Unions Improve Conditions
: and Shorten the ri.
'.s Hours. .~#.
3, 3.z< fTi$ss%. %a.$ - = ,.<fr + -
Certain Glasses Of People Stand
For Certain Standards
Of Living.

this country are In labor organiza-
tions, but most of them are working
under improved conditions and for
wages that are the result of the un-
ion labor movement, says Railroad
Trairmen's Journal. Unless the To-
cality be SO far removed from other
industrial centers and is peopled by
employees who have never been in
touch with the outside world, their
hours and wages are the result of
labor union endeavor to better work
Ing conditions. 1t is performance
OF the minority that benefits the ma
1ority and has the approval of the
entire number. Some of them do
not so understand it, others do not
care to understand it, but there are
! others who do understand it and
profit by it, but are selfish enough
not to participate in the work for
further betterments.
1t may sound strange to say that
wages are regulated in an industry
that has no atfi1ation with organic
ed labor, but the effect Of union
wages and conditions are so apparent
to Intelligent workers that they go
after them and naturally bring Wag-
es at home very close If not eqkal to
wages paid for like service in other
localities. The cost of living is u.s.
ually responsible for what little diff
ference there is.
1t is pretty well: established as a
TACT that certain classes of people
stand for certain standards of living.
They demand certain grade: of food,
clothing, shelter, education and rec
reat1on. Their demands are regulat-
ed by their earning capacity, and
when one section of the country
makes a wage standard the others
very soon have to meet it. If it does
not supply the needs of the people
affected they work diligently for an
increase of wages that Will, and their
work has always been performed by
some sort Of organization which has
finally resulted in the present labor
movement ~
We find as a result ,of this move
ment that wages, hours and services
are generally standardized Where
the union worker receives tho ad-
vantage the non Hui0nifs 0nifs worker re2.
cetves it, likewise. There are a very
few exceptions; to tbs practice; but,
generally speaking, IT. is the rule.
What has been done. by the labor
movement has been enjoyed by all
the people. 1t is a movement for
the betterment of the majority. and
under our accepted standards of goy-
eminent 1T ought to- be accepted as
the proper thing for: everybody, but
1t isn't. In some quarters it is de-
cidedly unpopular.
There is nothing that is 50 far
reaching in its effects upon the home
life Of the nation as a movement that
seeks to better the working condi-
t1Ons OF men, women and children.
tnat properly accepts the doctrine of
government by the majority as it's
plan of operation, accepts the courts
OF Justice CD for it's regulation, ap-
proves the doctrine of law and or
der, believes in fairness in wage earn
Ing and. wage paying, stands for
good standards of living and believes
IN its own superiority over that Of
every class of wage workers in the
world. This is what the labor move
ment means, and everybody must ad-
NIT that the objects are prajsewor-
thy; but admitting they are, there
is good big majority that is willing
to accept the profits, but will not
assume any share of the labor.
If there could. be some arrange
ment made whereby every wage in
crease would be given to the men,
bers of labor unions only and every
decrease taken out of the wages OF
non union labor only, every worker
would be in the labor organizations,
but the advantages and disadvan-
tages are shared alike with the non
union workingmen and the majority
is satisfied to take what the union
gets for it and, standing on the out
side, hold back the work of general
progress. ~ a.