The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1909-07-01

interesting because the editor has never
shown himself in his previous writings
to be particularly fond of labor unions.
The article shows him, however, to
have some conception of what is just
and desire to tell the truth as he secs
it.-Ed)
RESPONSIBILITY FOR STRIKES.
News dispatches have contained ample
evidence lately to convince even the
most skeptical that strikes are by no
means always caused by labor unions.
In Philadelphia, for instance, the strik
ing street railway men, who finally
won such decided victory, asked con
cessions of the Rapid Transit company
that, with one possible exception, did
not appear at any time to be in the least
unreasonable. But the company, never
theess, refused to grant the mems re
quests and brought upon itself fight
that doubtless cost it many thousand
dollars. The requests of the men were:
For recognition of a union grievance
committee.
For the privilege of purchasing uni
forms in the open market.
For a minimum day of nine and a
maximum of ten hours, to be completed
within twelve hours.
For time and one half for extra
work.
For arbitration of future differences.
For fair hearing for men discharged,
with reinstatement when discharge was
found to be unjust, and, finally,
For wages of % cents an hour.
Leaving ont of consideration the
question of wage increase, there was
nothing in these demands that the COM
pany might not just as well have grant
ed first as last. The street car men Ger.
tainly did not ask more than union
men, after years of fighting, have estab-
lished as their Just rights. Recognition
of union grievance committee was
perhaps one of the stumbling blocks in
the company's way because street rail
way companies and other corporations
that are hostile to organized labor have
generally been consistent in their re-
great many of the objections that are
usually offered to granting such recogni-
tion are little short of absurd. The dis
tinctions that the managements of cor
porations draw between treating with
their employees individually and treat
ing with them in body are quite for
through obtaining the signatures of of
ficers of unions. to bind their employees
to contracts that are advantageous to
the employers. Pennsylvania coal mine
operators, by way of illustration, re
Gently placed themselves in very un-
enviable and logically indefensible posi-
ton by declining TO recognize the min
ers' union, while agreeing to accept the
signatures of the officers of that union
to Il three year contract that did not
involve recognition of those officers oil
of the men whom they represented
In the second grievance of the Phila
delphia street car mems list, the one
involving the right to buy uniforms ir
the open market, the strikers doubtless
had the sympathy of the Philadelphia
public from the outset. The men would
be entitled to buy i'll the open market i
they so desired, evn though the company
were making them a present of thei
uniforms. 1t quite naturally follows
however, that in such case, the mel
would not desire to make their right
the possible cause of strike.
With regard to working hours
il would have been just as easy and {
great deal more honest for the compan,
to have granted the mems demands a
the outset as to have been forced int
granting them. The chief cause of dis
agreement over this clause in the men
demands was probably not that min
hours should constitute a minimum an,
ten hours maximum day, but that
twelve hours. From the eompany's stand
point, such a request as this was doubt
less pure impudence, because it is
well established custom of stret rail
way companies, where their employe
have not asserted themselves, to split
working hours in such a maner as t
bring the greatest possible number o
men on duty during the periods of heav
lest travel. These split" days give tn
companies a maximum of efficiency a
minimum cost. Conductors and motor
men are often required to work three o
four hours in the morning, an hour o
two about noon, and five or six hour
beginning at about 5 p. m. This spread
the work day over a great many hour
and practically robs the employees O
their evenings. Ii the men do not HAP
pen to be needed quite so long on som
days as ON others, they are not useC
and, of course are not paid. althoug