The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-06-17
STANDS FOR
OPEN SHOP
Chamber of Commerce
Slaps Striking Machin-
lists While Side-Step-
ing Real Issue

Well, there is nothing left for the
striking machinists to do but go crawl
ing back to work on any conditions, be-
Commerce spoken and declared that
they will stand by the "open shop"
henceforth and forever? And doesn't
that settle the strike? What chance
have bunch of workingmen to win
when the Chamber of Commerce, repre-
senting the "solid element" and the
"brains Of the community" declare
themselves against them? And yet
somehow or other the pompous attitude
of the business interests" do not dis
turb the boys a bit. They reason that
II resolutions could settle the labor
question it would have been settled
twenty years ago. That they are sore
at the members of the association for
their attitude goes without saying The
Chamber Of Commerce is supposed to
stand for the upbuilding of the city and
the fostering OF its industries. The
prosperity of the city must always de
pend upon the prosperity of its workers
and any change in the way of wages,
hours of employment or working con
ditions that will tend to better the
worker mentally, morally or physically
makes him more prosperous and a con.
sequently greater factor in the city's
advancement.
1t is entirely unnecessary to point out
the social and economic advantages of
the shorted workdav. They are known
to every school boy. The Chamber OF
Commerce has shown by its action that
it has more concern over the possible
discontinue of a few manufacturers
than over the welfare of scores of me
chanics and laborers.
1t is unfortunate for the city in more
ways than one that the Chamber of
Commerce has taken this stand. The
same meeting that resolved" in favor
of the "open shop" discussed ways and
means of lettering the city's fire pro-
lection. committee was appointed to
take up the proposition with the city
council of calling for a bond election to
! furnish money for better fire protection.
There is not a doubt in the world but
that some such step should be taken
but we fear the working people of the
city will be very loath to vote for fire
protection to protect the business men
of the city when they go publicly on
record as not caring a rap about the
interests of the men who toll
How about this "open shop" howl?
There is not one word in the agree.
ment the machinists' are asking the
shops to sign about the open or closed
shop Not one word as to whether the
men employed shall be union or non
union. All they are asking for is an
eight hour day at the present rate of
wages. They are willing to leave the
question of offihstion with the union
between the men employed in the shops
and the organization, depending on the
fairness of the average mechanic and
his willingness to do What is right
PROVIDED HE is A FREE MORAL
AGENT. The fact that SO per cent
Of the machinists throughout the
United States are union men demon
strates what a fake alarm is this "open
shop" question sprung by scared lot
II employers. The union shop the ma
'hinists want is a shop wherein every
man is free to join the union if he wants
to without fear of discharge The "open
shop" the employers want is one where.
in lot Of non-union men can be con
stantly held as a club over the heads
of the unionists while they weld a club
over unionist and non unionist alike.
The fellows who engineered the "open
shop resolution through the meeting
attempted to create an issue that had
no foundation in fact and to dress and
bolster it up as the real giant instead
of a bogey man 1t is unfortunate that
the members allowed themselves to be
led into the declaration. Some light on
the situation may be seen from the
fact that the president of the Cham
Der of Commerce is the gentleman who
occupies a managerial position with
the Sumner Iron Works Co. Prominent
manufacturers in the city are also rep
resented on the board of directors. "If
we don't all hang together we will hang
separately" See the point
Briefly summarized, the causes of the
strike and the situation as it stands
at the present time are as follows:
The machinists in district No. 26, of
the Pacific Northwest, recently pre-
: sented to the United Metal Trades As
: sociation of the Pacific Coast, a de
f mand for an eight-hour workday with
: nine hours pay, to become effective ON
e June lst, 1910. The demand was received
I by the officers of the United Metal
e Trades, and a special meeting was
4 called to discuss the same At this
$ meeting the manufacturers decided to