The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-11-26
fHE BUSINESS AGENT
An Important Factor In Trades
Union Affairs.
THE NEED OF SUCH AN OFFICE
Facilitates intercourse Between EN-
ployer and Worker-An Improvement
Over Old Meth ods-Qua iifications of
Successful Manager.

In the development OF unionism 1t
has come to be recognized that each
union is II business by itself and needs
manager paid to look after the af-
fairs of the union, says the Shoe Work
crs' Journal.
Formerly when unions cndeavorc,l to
transact their business with employers
through unpaid committees subject to
change frequently the results were IN
satisfactory for three principal reasons
viz:
Fir>t.~~Thc committee was embar-
raSScd by fear of the employer for
whom they worked.
Sccond.-Ihe committee was liabl. TO
be composed OF men Inexperienced in
such committee work
Thfrd.-The employer uislikcd to meet
new men on each OCCASION prcferrnc
/" meet with those familiar with the
details of the last conference.
To avoid these undesira bic results the
employment Of business agents has be.
come the rule with nearly every local
union large enough to support one ul-
til now in the great minority of cases
between unions and employers the ne
Sotlatl"h> are conducted between the
business agent representing the union
and the local executive board and the
employer Or his representative
For these reasons the business agent
trades union ana irs and has PLAYED no
small part III advancing the trades un-
ion cause.
Granted that not all men are perfect
still III the aggregate these statesmen Of
labor have done their work we'll and
the employers have. as II rule come to
prefer dealing viii, cone man whom
they get to know than to deaf with Il
new committee where they first have
to get acquainted. Time is irnDOrtant
to every business man. and any ucces-
>ary labor ad just meutS should be timed
80 rs t" put him 10 the least posS ible
loss Of time. To avoid unnecessary
friction is only ono of the many ncccs-
Saly qualifications to ena bic 4 business
agent. with due fidelity to the inter
cSt> "t his constituents. to maintain
such personal relations With the en-
i'loEcrS as will permit him to secure
the largest results for the employees
som" business agents have built IN
Uni"n> and made them not only sue
"r> and with profit and contcntmcnt
t" TIA" members. Willie. on the other
hilnl. some others exceptions t. the
rulr' have 10y faulty mel ho,lS absolute
~ destroyed the unions for which they
worked. and such destruction was NOT
loss c1"ctivc h"c;tl~c uuiutent innal
The successful business agent should
hAv" ""mnnnu over himself .,ul be
abb" 10 ignore u sarcastic remark for
I'll" time being and keep his mind CEN
tered on tn" main point ut issue"
II" should II" polite. diplomatic and
tartfiil in his dealings with rhc en-
pl"rcr and should look for the np-
pnrtln" moment 10 present his "nsc
}'n~in"&S mon have other troubles be-
sides Labor troubles. and if an employ,
or has h"frr" him II letter announcing
th" failure nf n customer owing him
II larg" SuH Of money that nlrlucn.
world y" an nnf"i~mnte on" +" ask
him for an ;rLvnns" in wages \ coed
business agent Will study his men rs
any :''"A salesman will study his Gus,
t"nrrS and viii Try t" get lin right"
before bringing NY the PRINCIPAL mat
ter.
First of all. II" should he satisfied nr
inc S"nn'!il">S OF his Gus" ana he thor,
ru-bly familiar with the details ami
then. having secured the interview I'm
der ~ favorable conditions rs possible
should stat" til" issue clearly. corr
t""n~ly aud briefly. He should hnvn
b1"kboH" rnnn@i 10 maintain his
ground - l"n- as he has the better Of
the argument ami still not Curry any
dips OH his shoulder 10 give uffcnSn
If convinced that the rmnlovors' side
has not been given fair consideration
in som" particulars liN should r4nlrn-
h"r that he is an intermediary us we'll
is 4 business agent aud should place
the new facts before his executive
board Tor their consideration under hi,
advice,
TIL" good business a-cut will not in
iui-g" III or lulCrHgH any Sharl, practice
IT anything r"Sctr.ltiin. rcrudfatfon or
'"n1ra"I. hHt will jealousy guard the
FOOD nam" ,f his union ANA will scc!z
+" i" known among the employers aS
~i;1ar" man. entitled to and ra,ciy~
ing their r"Sp", I.
\ man wiz" j. big enough to occupy
this position will usually have tact ana
ability enough l.. hold a. Slppnrtn,-S
7 l,tat"riry At h;< constituents and
such u man viii Get more. for them mt
loss tr"uhi. ana more pernftnentiv
than tie NOR" radical type
It Has See, Said
That "a si.,NN- ,1rli,,.