The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-05-27
DUES kN INVESTMENT
Money Paid Into the Union Re-
turns With Interest.
THERE'S POWER IN DOLLARS.
Unless Equipped With Strong Treas
ury a Trade Is Not Well Organized.
High Dues Mean Improved Working
Conditions and Fewer Strikes,


Mr.. Charles Freak, general presi-
dent Of the National Union of Boot
and Shoe Operatives OF Great Britain,
in recent report to the members
said: If We are well organized we
can win without a strike. If we are
not well organized we cannot win
with a strike"
That there is n great deal OF meat
In this expression the history Of shoe
organizations in this country goes far
to prove.
To be well organized a trade must
have something more than mere men,
bers. In America there have been
several unions of shoe workers that
at times had large numerical strength.
but that We're not well organized be-
cause they failed to stand the test of
endurance under fire.
All Of them. including this union, I'D
to 1899 We're weak financially.
Like the man who began to Single
his house when it rained because 1t
did not leak in fair weather, they did
not provide any strike funds until the
strike occurred and then attempted to
secure aid for the strikers by passing
the hat when large numbers Of the
members We're on strike.
One result of this weak financial
condition was the almost entire abb
sence of national discipline or strike
regulation, which left the matter of
strikes to be Il purely local matter,
often decided in heat and haste, to
be repented at leisure.
The impoverished union treasures
were well known to the employers and
were IN themselves standing invita-
ton to the employers to reduce wages
or to provoke conflicts with that OBJ
ject in view.
IN time of panic reductions Of
wages were general and severe and
usually resulted in wholesale destruc-
ton of unions locally and sometimes
nationally.
crop Of reductions in wages in the
shoe trade and so badly demoralizcd
the several national unions then ex-
lsting as to cause them to unite in
April, 1895, forming the Boot and Shoe
Workers union.
This was an acknowledgment of the
principle that there should be only one
union In trade, but aside from this
one sound principle the union, while
at times h:.vinG many members, was
not well organized.
1t had the same low dues and weak
treasures of its predecessors.
Like them, it attempted to support
strikers by the hat method, and, like
them, it failed.
Up to this time the unions in our
trade had made no provision for bcne-
Its for the sick and dead; consequently
II n member became dishcartencd for
any cause he simply dropped out and
lost nothing.
With the adoption of twenty-five cent
dues and Sick, death and strike bene-
fits i'll 1890 4 revolutionary change
was worked, and our union took rank
among the substantial unions Of the
land.
Since that year strikes have been
fewer. but supported by the weekly
benefit prescribed by the constitution
and paid out Of funds set aside and
accumulated for that purpose, and
have been more successful.
we have also paid victimiZation ben
efits to members who were discrim-
mated against because Of their union
ism.
In the past four years. 1905, 1906,
1907 and 13OS, we have paid in strike
and ":ctinization benefits the sum of
&l21 .nGS 50.
lDuIlnS tlllS tlule IttN-tnree strikes
were sanctioned. In twenty salts
factory settlements We're made before
the strike took place.
or the remaining twenty-seven in
which strikes actually occurred TWEEN
ty-tWo were won. two were settled
raforab;y Ivy arbitration. one was COM
promised, and two were lost. One lock
out resulted in a complete victory for
the union.
This is n remarkable comparison
with the record of defeat and devasta-
ton of the years 1895, 1896, 1897 and
1898, but still more remarkable is the
year 1908 considered by itself.
The year 1908 was one of business
depression as bad as or worse than
the panic year Of 1893. yet the mem
bers of this union suffered no reduc-
ton of wages III 1905 except in one in
stance. During 1905 four strike sane
lions were granted. all Of which We're
quickly settled in favor of the union
involving i total strike benefit for the
year of only $2I.72 and victimization
benefits for the year of $537
During the year 1908 many members
secured increases in pay through ami
cable adjustment or through arbitra-
ton.
In the last four years the union has
paid for sick and death benefits the
sum of 1910. 140. or mere than three
times rs much as for strikes and vic