The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1913-03-14
CONTRAST IN STRIKES.
One Body of Employers Favors Unions,
While Another Opposes Them.

Ralph NJ. Easley, chairman of the
executive council of the National Civic
federation, sent statement to the
members recently in which he discuss
ed the threatened strike of railroad
fremen and the garment and shirt
waist strikes. He said in part:
In strike of 10000 shirt waist max
ers we find that the officials of the la
Dor organizations, of which only 1000
of the women were members called
out the whole 10000, with a view to
getting them all into the union so that
they might make protocol or contract
with the organization of shirt waist
manufacturers, and we further find
that this organization of shirt waist
manufacturers was perfectly in sym
pathy with the union in calling out the
girls and organizing them, because 1t
was just as anxious to have protocol
as was the union, and this could be
made only between people organized
on either side. Also the manufactur-
ers organization, which included the
larger and better class of manufactur-
ers, could not meet the sanitary and
wage requirements of the union unless
the Independent manufacturers were
placed ON the same basis, and this
could be brought about only by pow
erful union.
In contrast with this situation was
the strike Of $4,000 garment workers.
In this case, while the union was work
ing for a protocol or trade agreement,
the Manufacturers association re-
fused to deal with the union in any
way, but announced that 1t would deal
individually only with its own men.
In this case however the independents
reversed the order and formed an or
ganiZation to treat with the union.
In the first case the strikers were sue
cessful, and a protocol was signed by
all parties to the controversy.
Under the protocol the preferential
union shop is assured. Instead of
working from fifty-two to sixty hours,
as heretofore, the minimum week will
be one Of fifty hours, and after GER
tain other features of the protocol have
been worked out the time will be re-
duced still more to forty-nine hour
week. The increase in wages, while
the amounts cannot be definitely stat
ed owing to the complexity Of the dress
and waist business, will range from 10
to 33 1-3 per cent, the highest per-
centage going to the workers who are
lowest paid at present.
Good sanitary conditions are assured
through a joint sanitary board. Provi-
sion is made for a grievance board,
which will take care of all complaints
and petty disputes A white label"
which is to stand as symbol of SAM
tary working conditions, Is to be APP
piled to all garments made in the shops
which are parties to the protocol, and
this label is expected to give way ul-
timately to the present union label. A
board of arbitration, the final judge
in disputes which cannot be settled by
the board of grievances, is also pro-
vided
The preferential union shop plan pro-
vides that the employer is not to be
deprived of the privilege of obtaining
skilled labor outside of the union, but
union workers are to be given the pref
erence. In the second case the strike
was continued five weeks and resulted
In a partial victory for the garment
workers.