The labor world., 1907-04-20
UNIONS COST REPAID
TENFOLD IN BENEFITS
Strong Organization Necessary to
Maintain a Living Standard
of Wages.
Practical Discussion of the Finan-
cial Side of Trades Union
Movement.

benefits, and "something for nothing
is no longer recognized by Intelligent
men as either an honest or reliable
principle to work or The history Of
American trades unionism has been
a slow, but steady progress from mere
nominal dues and small benefits to-
wards better dues and more substan-
tial benefits.
Practical Illustrations.
This has been accompanied by a
slow process Of centralizing union
funds, as In the case of the Iron Mold
ers' Union, where only seven of the
rs cents weekly dues is retained by
the local. The amount handled an
nually. by some Of the national or in
ternational unions has grown to large
proportions. The United Mine Work.
ers raised $2,225, 370.2S for the strike
Of 1902, this being supplemented by
$419,954.14 contributed by other un-
ions and the public. This latter sum,
by the way, is said to be the largest
ever raised for strike purposes outside
the trade Immediately affected. The
Glass Bottle Blowers and the Broth
erhood of Locomotive Ffremen, among
others, maintain regularly defense
funds Of $250,000.
Out Of Work Benefits.
The value and Importance Of out-of
work benefits as a means of promot-
ing the aims of trades unions and Of
strengthening their ties has not been
lost sight Of. It has been constantly
urged by those who advocate this form
of relief that nothing is more effective
for maintaining standard rate of
wages. By offering a member suff1-
cient relief to maintain him while un-
employed, the motive which impels
him to accept a lower wage than the
standard rate Is removed and his de-
sertion made less likely. "A starving
man. wrote President Adolph Stras-
ser of the Cigarmakers' Union in 1897,
has no conscience. He will accept
any payment for his work in order to
provide for his sustenance." And for
mer Secretary Mcguire of the Broth
erhood of Carpenters urged the adop
ton Of the out-of work benefit on SIM
liar grounds. 1.-The wages of those who
continue in employment he said, "can
only be kept up to living standard
by strong organization and the pay
ment of an ,out-of- work benefit. Un-
employed men cannot live on senti-
ment. However strong unionism may
be, self-preservation is the first law of
nature and must be recognized as
SUCH"
Strike Expenditures.
In general the per capital expend-
iture for strikes during the last rs
years has decreased. DR.. Sakolskis S
figures show that this expenditure was
highest in 1884, when it ran up to
$1209 per capita, due to many un-
wisely inaugurated strikes against a
reduction of wages during a season Of
trade depression. Since then a rule
has been adopted restricting the pow
er Of local unions to inaugurate strikes
and the greater influence exercised
by the international officers in settling
disputes has reduced the expenditure
considerably.
The result of this policy was shown
in the period Of depression between
1893 and 1899 when, although the
output Of cigars fell off rapidly and
wages were reduced in number Of
lOCcA1IAeS' tAo aVoAo6e poA CapAsd SooI
of strikes was less than during any
similar period in the union history.
Unfavorable trade condition, instead
of resulting in a larger number Of
strikes than formerly, led the Inter-
national union to discourage trade
conflicts, so that, as far as possible, the
funds might be used in the payment
of out-of- work benefits and travelling
loans to unemployed members.
The general view in regard to
strikes against reduction Of wages in
times of financial depression is shown
by paragraph from the report Of the
secretary of the Bricklayers and Ma
sons International union for 1895,
which said: For the first time in u