The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-03-28
EMPLOYERS OF LABOR Al: / |'|'| n.
AND. TRADE UN|0N|STs
May Read With Profit the Follow
lowing Interview With David
J. Shackelton.
Member of Parliament and Dele
gate to the American FEEDER
alton of Labor.

lean brothers and also that EnguSn
lawyers do not see things with corpo-
ration sDectacles as is often the case
in the United States.
Mr.. ShackeIton's Statement
Mr.. Shackelton stated that the most
effective clauses in the trades dispute
measure passed in the last session Of
parliament, and now a law, were the
four following, the text of which was
drawn and the principle fought for,
and the other members convinced by
the arguments of the labor members.
CHRISTIAN act done in pursuance Of
an agreement or combination by two
or more persons shall, if done in con-
! temptation of or furtherance of a
trade dispute not be actionable unless
the act, if done without any such
agreement or combination be action
able
'ESecond-It shall be lawful for one
or more persons: acting on their own
behalf or on behalf of q trade union,
or in contemplation Or furtherance Of
a trade dispute, to attend at OF near
a place where a person resides Or
works or is carrying on business Or
happens to be, if they so attend mere
~ for the purpose Of peacefully OBJ
tanning Or communicating information
or peacefully persuading any persons
to work or abstain from working
"Third-An action against a trade
union, whether Of workmen or mas
tiers, or against any members or Off
Gals thereof on behalf of themselve,
oil 81 y
union in respect of any tortuous act
alleged to have been committed by or
on behalf of the trade union, shall not
be entertained by any court.
''F'ourth-Nothing in this section
shall affect the liability Of the trustees
of trade union to be sued in the
events provided for 10y the trade union
act, 1871, except in respect of any tor
tuous act committed by or on behalf
of the union in contemplation or in
furtherance Of trade dispute'
Discussion in Parliament.
"While the matter was in parlia-
ment we were offered and confronted
With variety of amendments and
arguments. We We're asked to accent
! Incorporation. with the full rights and
responsibilities Of corporations and
that the employers would be likewise
made liable. That seemed fair on the
face Of it. But we showed by argu
lnent why it was not fair. We had
been, We supposed, and we know thai
we now are. voluntarily bodies with
out legal right to enforce decisions or
any of our Individual members. Labor
unions have to do everything above
BOARD. We have to present claims tc
i employers, we have to give notice t.
our requests and intentions regarding
disputes wage increases, the an
, ployer is Informed Of our every move
; ment before we act,
! Under Handed Actions.
; How is anyone going to prove that 2
! boss discharged men because they be-
lorged to trade union if he person
ally does not desire to tell the world
that he did it for that cause. We
| cited case after case. We showed
blacklist after blacklist where lega
| proof committing the employer could
not be shown even by the commune
cations giving the blacklist. W.
showed cases where the secretary O.
an employers association would senc
out to every employer Of the craft the
innocent statement. signed, that The
| men at such and such a place Wer,
! on strike. Sometimes in the same en-.
Velope but more frequently in a plai1
envelope, would be a list of the EN-.
Ployes on strike. It would be ad.
dressed by registered mail to the heaC
of the rm. No one but he could Sc,
it,
Equal Rights Secured.
how could labor union have eoua
rights or legal remedy under sucl
-ihetnoos Parliament agreed with us
Our greatest effort was to secure tn
unlimited right to peacefully picket
our opponents wanting to limit tn
NUMBER despite the number of en-
frances to a shop or MILL and to con
nne our activities to certain places
we got unlimited right in the bill tn
peaceful picketing clause being tn
protection for the employer Or strike
Preaker, and We are willing to tax
the peaceful responsibility.
The HARDEST Contest.
The hardest battle came on tn
question OF right to persuade a ma
10 break his contract. We declarc
tnal as far as a breach of contra :.
was concerned. every man and Woman
VINO made contract should be hcl,
l1ahle to it or stand the damages in
dlVidually held by law. A breach n
contract CT behalf of 100 men wouk
land the unions into large suits fo
manages We desired that right t,
persuade man to break his contra r+
the argument we used was: VIVA
does an employer Go?
immediately it is known that
strike is going to take place in a,
establishment, the foreman and bosse
begin to persuade some men not r
come out. Is that not persuading tn
Individual to break his contract wifi
nus union? If it was right for an en-
ployer to 81 lei suade, it was RICH
mat the labor men try to have 81
equal right to secure breach Of con
tract herWeel: employer and men w
demanded equal rights. And we go
| hn+