Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-07-13
TALK
ABOUT UNIONS.
Tell Why Paint Won't Stick
in ksbury Park

Asbury Park, July 13:-How to
treat labor unions and their good and
bad features were pointed out yester-
day in an address before the New
Jersey State Association of Master
Painters and Decorators by the sec
rotary, Charles Greenhalgh, of Pat
erson. Mr.. Greenhalgh's paper was
entitled inconsistencies of Labor
Unions and the Need of a Uniform
Agreement" Mr., Greenha1gh said
in part;
Let unions make a demand for
an increase in wages" said Mr..
Greenhaigh, land there is a foeking
to the meetings of the local associa-
tons, In fact, l believe that a good
many local associations have become
extinct for the lack of labor troubles.
On the other hand, had 1t not been
for labor unions many of our local
associations would ave have sprung
into existence.
"To the master painter the labor
question is one of the greatest issues
of our business relations and must be
dealt with.
MY object In presenting these
thoughts is not to stir up trouble.
To rail at the labor unions and show
an obstinate front; to decline ven
to consider the question Is foolish
ness. Combinations, whether in the
form of labor organizations, business
enterprises or master painters Or
CARNATIONS, have come to stay, and
we as employers must consider the
question.
"If organization Is good for the
j~ourneyman it must be good for the
employer. 1t behooves us to consider
as a body of employers that impor-
tant question of labor. l shall make
no attempt to coerce anybody, but to
point out some of the glazing incon-
~sistencies of the labor organization
Of our own trade.
Zone of the greatest inconsistent
cies of labor organizations is the
retaining within their ranks of men
who take work by lump or contract
and by this ear directly break one
of If not the greatest object that they
are banded together to obtain-the
standard wage.
How can a workman be working
for a standard wage who takes his
work contract or s~ub-contractD Then,
again, he is not fair to his fellow I'M
ion man in that it gives him the OPP
portunlty to work for less than the
standard wage and thereby work in
Jury to union men and their employ
ers.
Another glazing Inconsistency Of
the painters labor organizations Is
the refusal to grade men, demanding
that all men be paid alike regardless
Of his ability. There is not an en-
ployer here who does not know that
you can at least in a shop employing
twelve men, divide them into at least
three grades. Yet the fair policy
of the painters union demands that
all men shall receive the same rate
per hour.
"The demand of unions TO compel
us to employ none but members Of
their organization and their refusal
to accede to our request that they
work for none but members vi the
Master Painters organization are
other glaring Inconsistencies.
ITO what must we look for a so
luton? To my mind 1t lies In the
agreements we make. That as mas
ter painters and decorators ~@make-
no terms with labor organizations as
individuals but that as master pain
tiers organizations we strive to work
to bring about an agreement as near
uniform as possible; and that by
making our demands, outside of wa
ges to be paid, we may rectify many
of these Inconsistencies. l do not
think for one moment, l have enum-
Grated them ali.
eve make a mistake In thinking
there Is only n question or point at
issue-the question of wages. This
to my mind concerns the master
painters the least of any. 1t is to
the many inconsistencies that we
must look and seek to remedy.
"The pay of our employe really
does not affect the employer as much
as one would suppose. We always
charge more than we pay-sufficient
to pay overhead charges plus the US
ual percentage Of profit.
Newark in the spring of 1910
beat hte union and today the union
men of that city are compelled to
work side by sidt with non-union
men-a degradation In the eyes of
every union man. Paterson, five years
ago, beat the union and since then
we have been working tremendously
under an agreement which is consid-
cred as near fair as car be made.
Let us see to it that when max
ing agreements that the custom of
retaining master painters in the ran
retaining master painters in the
ranks of the ~journeymen's union is
discontinued; that the custom of al
lowing their members to work for
our customers at the same rate of
wages (and sometimes less than
what we pay them) be provided for;
that journeymen be not allowed to
make cintracts; thereby eliminating
the old-time grievance of having
competitors who to-day are journey
men and tomorrow bosses; and vice
versa; that we providt for an arbi-
tration clause; that there be no limit
to the number of apprentices, and fl
nally that we sign nc agreements as
master painters organizations unless
these features are arranged satisfac-
tOrily"
Walter E. Tremaine, of Orange,
answered a series of questions In a
local newspaper, which asked why
Asbury Park buildings had to be
painted at least once a year.
"In the first place." said Mr.. Ire
maine, twenty per cent. of the
causes why paint don't stand on sea-
shore houses is due to the salt air.
The eighty per cent. you must attrib-
ute to poor work. Hotel n in
tho oorlv CuripO ornnlov their hell