The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-07-25
STRIKES AND L0CK0UTS.

That strikes and lockouts succeed more
often than they fail is shown by a report
of the Department OF Commerce and
Labor on the strike and lockout situation
in the United States from 1881 to 1905.
The report covers In detail the leading
causes resulting in these conditions, the
duration Of strikes and the method Of
settlement the number Of employees
thrown out OF work, and the industries
and States most affected. The report is in
part as follows:
''rhe industries Of the United states suf-
fered less from strikes during the year
1906 than In any year since 1892. If the
number Of employees thrown out Of work
by strikes and the duration Of the strikes
be taken as a measure In that year 221,-
6S6 employees were thrown out Of work by
2,077 strikes undertaken by 1881 strikers
In 1922 establishments. and lasting an
average of 231 days in each esta blishment
involved
The year 1894 stands out in the history
Of the country as the year most notable
for the great number Of workers thrown
out Of work by strikes, over $4,000 en-
ployes being thrown out Of work by
1919 strikes undertaken by 505.o49 strikers
in S.1S6 establishments. and lasting on an
average OF thirty-two and a quarter days
in each establishment involved In both
1902 and 1903 the number OF employees
thrown out Of work by strikes was slight
~ less. and the average duration some
what shorter. although the number OF
establishments involved in 1903 was $3.50
greater than ever before. reaching 20.24S.
Industries Most Affected.
The greatest number Of strikes in any
one industry was in the building trades.
which had 26O2 per cent Of all strikes
and 1888 per cent of all the establish
ments involved in strikes In the coal
and coke industry were SOS per cent Of
all strikes and s.S9 per cent Of all estab-
lishments involved in strikes This lat
ter industry had more strikers and more
employees thrown out Of work by strikes
than any other industry. The building
trades we're second in order in beth these
respects. with the mems clothing. and
iron and steel industries next. In lock-
outs, the building trades led all other
+t-N.~s1tA-N's nov lib Au.f' pei cent VI dtA
lockouts, moret HIN one-haIf OF all the
establishments involved, and about 30 per
cent of all the employees locked out and
OF persons thrown out of work.
Organized LabOr'S Part.
The Importance Of the part that or
ganized labor plays in strikes is indicated
by the fact that Of the total number Of
strikes in twenty-five years 6s.s9 per cent
were ordered by labor organizations. and
the strikes so ordered included 90.@ per
cent Of ali establishments involved in
strikes. 1863 per cent Of all strikers, and
77.45 per cent OF all employees thrown out
Of work IN establishments involved In
strikes.
Employees who went on strike succeed
ed more often than they failed. They
succeeded in winning all the demands for
which the strikes were undertaken IN
41-9i per cent Of the establishments. sue
ceeded partly in 15.2S per cent, and in only
Se.7S per cent of the establishments did
they fail entirely 10 win any OF their de-
mands
"On the other hand, the employers.
when they took the initiative and locked
out their employees, succeeded more often
than they failed Lockouts resulted
wholly in favor Of employers in $40 per
cent Of the establishments involved, sue
ceeded partly in I0-1 per cent, and failed
entirely in 500 per cent OF the establish
ments