United labor bulletin., 1909-12-17

aDdE Labor
Assembly
L = = / L

AT the meeting % lNe Assembly DUN
day quite a large amount of business
was transacted The attendance was
much larger than usual
There has been Several new affiliations
to the Assembly D. past month, and it
is expected that tho will be many more
by the first of the year.
The water comm tee read the propos-
ed amendments u the city charter re-
garding the initiative referendum and
recall Upon notion the amend
ments were endorse by the Assembly.
They also report Holding meetings every
night the past three or four weeks, and
now have their vork well under way.
The committee is Sputting forth all their
efforts to have ;inion man selected as
one of the commfs sioners. The Assem-
bly, endorsed their stand.
The following appeal was endorsed by
the Assembly:
appeal for Swedish Workers.
Washington, D- C. Dec. 8. 1909.
ITO All Organized Labor. Greeting:
since August 4. 1909. a strike of great
magnitude has bfsn in progress IN
Sweden. and the tissue at stake is the
very life of the labor movement of mat
country
Because of the sharply defined class
divisions in Sweden and the lingering in
fiuences OF the old feudal system. the de
velopment of the Swedish labor unions
has been exceedingly difficult. but withal
they have steadily fought their way and
gained. The last ter years. however, wit
messed considerahle impetus in the in
terest OF the work IS in the unions, and
this has been the period of their greatest
progress and growth. The period of
prosperity experienced between the years
1900 and 1908 was favorable to their sue
cess, and the laboT organizations became
great power in the defense and ad-
vancement of the conditions of the work
ers- The CROWNS strength and aggres-
siveness of the unions brought about the
counter organization of employers. and
their antagonism was centralized into a
formidable force through the means of
their three large associations. namely.
the Central Employers Association. rep
resenting the building industry. employ
ing $4,000 men; The Machine Shop and
Iron Ship Builders Association. employ
ing $4,000 men. and the Swedish Employ
ers' Association, representing all the
large industries. employing $4,000 men.
The panic and Industrial depression be-
ginning in 1905 considerably weakened
the strength and resources of the unions,
and the Swedish Employers Association
endeavored 10 turn these conditions to
its advantage in It's effort to disrupt the
unions. For the past two years the
threat of general lockout has been held
over the heads OF the workmen when any
advance was made by them. either of de-
fense or for the amelioration of condi-
tons. Early, in 500 some of the employ
ers put into effect a reduction in wages.
strike involving 1.4oO men was declar-
ed against it, The Employers Associa.
ton served notice on the officers of the
organizations that unless the men re.
turned to work under the reduction in
wages there would be general lockout.
Inc men on strike refused to return .o
work, and the association carried ont IFS
threat and locked out 10000 men. This
violent attack pretended more than was
involved in the 'ocal DISPUTE. and the
unions recognize it as a clear declara-
-" VI war ron the employers The
situation had reached the sta,a nh,r, -,
W nnaintaia the organizations and
iaoor movement the attitude and de.
mands of the Employers Associ,,,o,, -,
''""a'eu- The organized wage
~. "e's reaiized hat all that had beep
ouiit up. after 3 ears of effort .n,
s'ea' sacrifice. was at stake Tbersfor,
Instead OF submitting to the Iockou, ,ha
ORGANIZATIONS of labor answered II b.. .
general strike. nd 200 ooo ,o.
nose already locked out.
because of the magnitude Of ,,o s.-,,-.
was hecessary for the p,,o,. :,
"eoen to appeal to the wor.r,a, :,
liner countries Tor financia, ,ss,s.a
'"eSsrs, Claues E Tholin nm, 1.,. 60
r. :" were sent as delegates to this conn.
~, anu In furtherance of his mission
ihoiin appeared before tho rs...,.
eh''on of the American Federation
OF Labor, held in Toronto. Ontario. Can
,da, Noyember SEQ. 1909, where he ad-
iressed the delegates upon the the sub
'ect of this struggle. His address was
supplemented by statements by Presi-
'ent Gompers and Delegate John p.
rrey. of the Iron Molders' Union. who
as fraterpai delegate to the last meet
ing of the British Trades Union Con
sress. they were in Europe. and had op-