The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1912-09-20
THE union PAYS,
Profit to Wageworkers Past All
Computation.
VALUE OF THE UNION LABEL.

Symbol Adds Untold Sums to the
Credit of Both Worker and Emnlov.
er-How Labor Organizations Have
Benefited the ToiIng Millions.
The New York Independent. com.
menting on the operations of the Amer.
lcan Federation of Labor for 1911. has
TINS: The unions spent nearly Sc. 600.
ooo last year in aid of strikers. We
DO not learn how much the profit was"
FIVE millions in money buIks big I'M
I'll one reflects that it represents In this
case less than So per capita for the
more than million and three-uuarters
or members in the federation's affiliat-
ed organiZations-rath small amount
or insurance on wages, not to count
other benefits.
Respecting the Independents sympa-
thedc remark, I'VE do not learn how
much the profit was" the reply is: No.
body knows. No, no one can compute
the amount No tabular statement can
be devised to cover all the points in
the estimate. Who can say how many
employers would have reduced wages
last year without the union as a STUN
bling block to their intentions2 Who
can compute the profit to the trade
unionists concerned in the numerous
cases In which employers agreed to In
crease wages simply on a demand-a
strike without direct cost? Who can
put down in figures the sums to the
credit Of both employers and employed
through use of the union label? Who
can convert into statements Of dollars
and cents the good that has come to
both union and nonunion employees,
chiefly women and children, who have
had their hours of labor reduced the
last year through union activity? Who
can estimate what 1t would have cost
last years strikers If they hadn't
struck? Who knows what it would
cost union men II they did not stand
ready to strike?
A rough guess suggests itself to ones
mind as to the profits In being ready
to strike when the wages and hours
Of nonunionists are compared with
those of unionlsts. But this is not an
entirely fair basis, for some anti-union
employers, especially those having
large numbers of employees. pay a
wage or institute device designed to
keep their plants out of the union. In
such cases the nonunfon men enjoy an
unearned share Of the profits of union
ism. However, in certain occupations
or certain plants the low level of the
wages of nonunionists indicates sad
need of the union, and comparison
between union and nonuion levels OF
pay results in pointing out big profits
to the union.
II their unionism yields profits of
only 81 a week to the trade uniOnists
of this country-to all In the fedora
ton or out of 1.-THE solid lump would
be $15O,0O0,000 a year But there are
unions. and not few of them, which
have elevated their scale by 81 day
six days week since their organiza
ton. A report from each international
union could bring out the desired facts
on this point within the limits of prob
ability. We shall not try TO put the
sum total in figures. but can leave the
reader to look into his own impress
slons of the entire value of trade un
lonism to the working people of this
country and decide whether it does not
run up we'll into the hundreds of mil.
lions of dollars.-American Federation
list