The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1909-03-06
OF employees as union shops some
times are, to emnlovers y - T.. ;.'1 T.

The Lake Carriers association has
resolved to. run open shops in the
matter of employing engineers and
other kinds of service. It processes
to make no distinction between union
and non union employees, and if it lives
up to this profession the declaration
can do, no harm to the principles
which labor unions are organized to
uphold. TO do thiss however, the
Lake Carriers association will have
to discipline some of it's own mem
bershlp, just as labor organizations
occasionally have to discipline theirs.
When the union had only to deal
with the individual employer; the task
OF raising wages to a. normal level
and of improving shop conditions was
not complicated one; And when the
mands were within reason, success
followed. And unions grew in num-
bers and influence. When employers,
for their own protection, buried their
suspicion of each other and combined
to fight union demands-often beyond
reason and spelling financial disaster
in any attempt to conform to them
the unions had to face a different
proposition, and the old tactics of
taking employers one by one and
bringing them to their knees would
not work. But the unions have also
been equal to this emergency, and
with their more perfect organizations,
union labels and larger capitalization
they have generally succeeded,
though at great cost, In winning out
1t would be a sad day for employers
themselves if there were no labor
unions, and If there were SUCH a slash
ing Of wages as to disorganize both
the labor market and the products in
which the cost Of the labor so init
mattel yenters. In the endeavor to
undersell competitors employers would
continually cut wages until the mar
ket for their wares would be frightful-
ly curtailed. Much of this labor
unions prevent, by creating a stand
ard below which wages cannot fall
In consequence the market is held up.
and production and consumption pro-
coed on an even keel.
And, too, the unions provide for COL
lective bargaining, which in great in
dustries enables employers to quickly
arrive at understandings with their
employees in the matter of hours, con-
dltlons and wages, which could not so
satisfactorily be arrived at in any
other way. Not only do unions make
the rates for trades, but also for dis
tr1cts, so that there is no general dis
organization of the working force
through the changing Of employers in
the endeavor to improve labor condi-
tons:
The ,"open shop prevents neither
an agreement as to wages and con-
ditions nor collective bargaining. The
officers of the union and the officers
Of the Lake Carriers association can
meet together just the same and agree
on what is a fair days pay for a fair
days work, the duties to he expected,
and working conditions generally. The
engineers and other labor employed
by vessel interests are right in declin-
ing to be pitted one against the other
in the matter Of wages and condt-
tons They are right in demanding a.
minimum rate Of wages, and they will
have good reason to doubt the pro-
fessions of the Lake Carriers asso-
clifton as to equal opportunity Of en-
ployment between union and non-un-
ion men in these "open shops" if this
be not conceded.
The world over "open shops. are
becoming the rule. This is particular
ly so in Great Britain, which is the
mother of the trade union movement.
TO meet this condition the unions
| there are Offering greater Inducements
to labor men to join, until now there
hot 10
at least out-of-work benefits, funeral
expenses and old age pensions. The
| unions are making it worth the while
Of wage-workers. to join their ranks,
Independent of wages and hours And
the same thing is being done here.
The printers now not only provide a.
nome" for wornout printers, but they
give a. pension to every union man
! without an income from the printing
business when he reaches the age of
60 years, and has been at least 20
years in harness.
AS the "open shop is bound to be-
come an established principle, it is
the part OF labor organizations to
study and master it as they have 9TH
er labor problems. They can make
1t recruiting ground for new men,
bership, or they can make 1t a battle
ground for an exclusive monopoly OF
industry and commerce. If thew a,1ont
the first, there is every reason to be-
lieve that they will increase their
membership and influence; If they
adopt the second, the logic Of events
Is against them, and, unless there Is
"a change in economic conditions not
now visible above the labor horizon.
they are doomed to failure.