The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-10-27
THE union PRINTERS
ARE WINNING
In Their Fight for the Eight
Hour Day and Better
Conditions.
Hundreds of Cities Throughout
the United States Have
Signed Up.

Day by day and week by week the
International Typographical Union is
gaining in its fight for the shorter
workday.
On January I Of the present year was
inaugurated the greatest industrial
fight ever started for the betterment OF
the working man. The I. T. U. after
years OF preparation, notified every
man working under it's jurisdiction that
the eight hour day must be demanded
on Jan. I. 1906, and where refused
work must cease, unless the existing
contract between the local union and
the employees interfere. No contract
between the I. T. U. and the employees
must be violated, and this can be said
with honor and credit to the 1nterna-
national Typographical union, has
never been. An honorable contract be-
tween. two parties must be lived up to
In justice to all. and the party who
violates the same deserves condem-
nation. In the present controversy
existing between the Duluth Typogri-
cal union and member of the employ
ing printers who have not yet seen
fit to sign the eight hour agreement,
1t can be said that the local union has
lived up to the contract to the letter.
i he question Of wages has never Teen
raised-only the eight hour day. The
employers have thought that the time
has not yet come for the shorter work.
day but one of the leading members
OF the u T. A. has stated that the
question IS not a closed one. He is
frank and candid in his statement
1t will never be closed one with the
l. T. u. until 1t is settled right, and
that only when one third of the "a
hours day shall be a mans share
of work. and he shall be given the
right to do as ne pleases with the re-
naming 16. This is what the Inter-
national Typographical Union demands
shall be given to it's members. They
shall be given the right to sell eight
hours per day Of their labor and do as
they please with the remaining 49, If
an employer wants eight hours later
he can purchase the same Of a member
Of the l. #. Z. 1t is a fair proposition
and equal for all. Skilled workmen
do not have to work long hours only
incompetents have to do it, and this Is
what the STRUCK printing offices have
today all over the country. The writer
Of this article called into a large print
ing office in Omaha recently and found
out that the firm is barely struggling
along. AS the proprietor said, Yes,
We want good men, We have a numb Der
here. but they are not much good" He
did not know to whom he was speak
ing at the time that he made the state
ment.
The Duluth Typographical union re-
celved news from st. Paul lately that
the Volkskeitung, one of the large job
printing offices Of the sanity city, had
signed up with No. 80 and put a force
of men to work I..Is accession to the
union ranks in St. Paul will mean the
employment of about 20 men. After
one years struggle this Typothetae
stronghold had to surrender to the
l. L. U. Nothing succeeds like success
and No. 80 Of st. Paul knows no other
word In the present fight With the
able and efficient officers handling the
situation nothing else but success must
crown the work Of the striking print
ers for the shorter work day.
1t can be said without fear of con
organization have stood so Loyalty by
their officers and paid so literally to
carry on the fight for the eight hour
day as the members comprising the
International Typographical union OF
North America Ncary S2OOO0oU have
already been paid that the shorter
Workday must prevail The spirit OF
un1onism in the printers is certainly
of the best and their determination tc
win the eight hour day must certainly
be admired 1t is an unconuuerable
spirit that no money can buy 1t has
been tried by the employers, but thei,
efforts have failed. The members o.
the I. T. U. have been asked to work
the long day with a substantial in.
crease in wages, but the offer has
been fatty refused. No employer car
every say that the I. T. U. is after the
money. If the great organiza ton com
prising the l. T. T.. hau only this objec
In view there would never be the stril<,
there has been for the past year. L
Is not a question OF money It Is {
question of hours; that only, and moth
ing else.
The union label is the emblem O