The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1913-05-09

DEMAND THE
UNION LABEL
(By J. e. CampbelI.)

labor union is taken for granted by
many that they are union men and
women. Such is not the case. The
great trouble with many of us is that
we are selfish to degree; we forget
that we are in a position to aid our
fellow unionists without any really
great effort on our part if we will only
demand the other trades unionists
label. This is one of the best organ
izers the unions have and it is without
cost.
Thousands of dollars are spent each
year by the various organizations for
general organization purposes, not
only among the unorganized but
among those who are already mem
bers of their respective unions. The
! trouble is that many of the members
fail to realize their own individual or
ciate the national influence the de-
mand for the union label has on the
labor movement. The American Fed
Grafton of Labor has reached the g.
100000 mark in it's membership, and
if every trades unionist is true to him
self and the labor movement it should
and will overeach the two million mark
| by five hundred thousand. This can
be done by demanding the union label
on every purchase. The greater the
demand for union label goods, the
greater number of union people will
be employed and under better condi-
tions and a better wage.
Another great factor in the labor
movement which is, overlooked to
great extent is the organization of
women. The wives and mothers Of
the union men organized in card and
label leagues is one of the best labor
"ORGANIZERS" we have. Every
city, town and hamlet that possesses
a labor union of any description should
encourage these organizations. Edu-
cate them as to what the union label
means to them directly and indirectly,
and what it means to the whole labor
movement With the women making
constant demand for union label
articles the merchant will soon supply.
If he is unable to get them he will
soon see that the manufacturer has
them. There is hardly a man, woman
or child whose heart does not go out
to the girls in the large cities when
we read of them out on strike for a
few more pennies in order that they
may exist. Whose fault is it that these
poor girls are compelled to go through
these prolonged industrial battles? 1t
is yours, Mr.. Union Man. If you would
see to it that you wore and demanded
union made clothing and that your
wives did the same, these strikes
would be thing of the past. 1t would
not be long until there would be no
non-union articles on the market, espe-
cially in the lines that the working
people need. The label alone upon
these goods would be a guarantee to
you that they were made under union
conditions, union wages paid, and,
further, you would be aiding in organ.
izing these industries as in order 70
have the label the workers would be
members of some particular union.
Take the linen collar industry alone
Thirty-siX girls make all the union
label collars that are worn in the
United States. This does not speak
very highly of the 100000 members
of trades unions. 1t is such conditions
as these that form the one great big
cause why we have not ten million
members in the American Federation
of Labor instead of membership of
two million. The condition in the
collar industry would not be like this
if the women in the organized centers
We're banded together in union label
leagues. For instance, in 1911, in a
strongly organized city of 25,000 peo-
pie, one S mall store was carrying
union made collars. A good live wom-
ans union label league was formed
and inside of three months seven of
the largest stores in that city were
handling union made collars and sim
ultaneously many other lines of union
label articles appeared upon the
shelves of these merchants. The de-
mand was created and the merchants
furnished the goods and also adver-
tised the fact Teamsters and clerks
| Tho 1919 Indian AIntarc1.nlas n