The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1914-12-31
SUMMARY OF MAIN POINTS.
Maintenance of the Union Shop Not
Hardship on Workers and imposes No
Burden on Employer-Unions Do Not
Stand For Restriction of Output

Hardship on Workers and imposes No
Burden on Employer-Unions Do Not
Stand For Restriction of Output.
In the preliminary report of the
United States commission on industrial
relations criticism by employers of the
trade unions, together with replies by
organized workers, is summarized by
the commission. Following are few
Of the more important:
"Criticism Lack of responsibility
on the part of unions; not only is there
no penalty for the breaking of agree
ments, but the employer has no re-
dress even for material damage done
by the union except through legal ac-
tion against individual members.
1.-THE reply of the union representa-
tives is: That experience has shown
the best guarantees of the observance
of contracts to be moral responsibility
and regard for the reputation of the
union; that the instances of contracts
broken by unions are few in number
and inconsiderable in comparison with
the number of contracts broken in the
business world. where money damages
are commonly imposed; that putting
up forfeitable bond would lower the
entire plane upon which the observ-
ance of contracts now stands and
would simply mean financial calcula-
tlon on the part of the union TO see
whether a breach of contract would
leave a balance In favor of its mem
bers after the bond was forfeited;
that the assumption of financial re-
sponsibiity by the unions would sim
ply be taken advantage of by the en-
pioyers to harass the unions.
"Criticism 2.-The closed shop pol
icy of the unions not only means a mo-
nopoly of labor as far as the employer
is concerned. but also prevents compe-
tent mechanics who are unable or un
willing to accept the terms imposed by
the union from obtaining employment.
1.-THE reply from labor is that there
is no closed shop, but that the main
tenance of the union shop imposes no
burden on the employer, who is free to
employ any workman he pleases pro-
vided that the workman will become a
member of the union and bear his
share of the responsibility in return
for the benefits which the union offers
to all who work where union condi-
tions have been established. That the
conditions imposed upon applicants for
membership are merely those which
every competent mechanic can meet
and that they are reasonable from
every standpoint.
CRITICISM 3.-The unions stand for
restricting the output to the level of
mediocrity and insist nevertheless on
the payment of the standard wage for
an output which Is below the standard.
"The reply is that the unions have
never attempted to establish restric-
ton on output save as protection for
the health of their workers and to pre-
vent the overspeeding of all by the use
of pacemakers. That the union is ap-
plying merely the rule of ordinary busi-
ness where the amount of given com
modify sold is regulated entirely by
the price that is paid.
"Criticism 4-The unions establish
uniform rate for all members, which
results in rewarding the incompetent
with higher wages than they earn and
destroys the ambition of the skilled
worker.
''The labor representatives reply that
the Standardization of the rate to a
dead level is the work of the employer
and not of the unions. That the union
merely establishes a minimum rate and
leaves the employers free to pay the
individual workmen as much more as
they please. Some of the employers
have admitted that this is true in theo-
ry, but insist that as soon as skilled
individual is paid higher than the min
imum rate the other members immedi-
ately demand the same rate of pay.
Criticism 5.-The unions establish
unreasonable and arbitrary restrictions
on apprentices, which not only pre-
vent a sufficient supply of skilled work
men. but also prohibit the American
boy from learning the trade in which
ne is interested.
''The unions reply is that where re-
strictions of apprentices exist they are
not arbitrary. but are. on the contrary,
fixed after careful consideration. with
the idea of preventing an oversupply
OF labor In the trades and the conse-
quent 'cutthroat' competition for en-
ployment; that the employers usual
IL do not make use of the full number
Of apprentices to which they are en-
titled under the union rules and. fur
thermore. that the employers do not
sincerely wish to train apprentices, but
on the contrary, wish merely to make
use OF a cheap labor supply.
'sCriticism THE unions use violent
methods and do not hesitate to violate
the law or to DESTROY property or life
IL necessary to gain their ends.
1.-THE unions reply that violence is
never sanctioned by any legitimate la
Dor organization and is never resorted
to by individuals except under severe
provocation and In self defense. They
recognize their duties to defend their
lives. homes and families. but even un-
der attack exercise much greater self
control than the civilized nations Of the