The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1915-11-05
BY JAMES DUNCAN.

CURED Y rom men ONST 9lAhJs
BY JAMES DUNCAN.
president of Granite Cutters Internation-
al Association Of America.l
Prior to the organization of our inter-
national in March, 1877, local unions
of our trade were not very efficient,
excepting in spots, and seldom had any
reserve or defense funds.
After organizing internationally,
trade being dull and wages low, the
idea of high monthly dues was not at
first considered, and for twenty years
thereafter on 30 cents a month dues
and assessments of cents per member
on the death of a member In good
standing to pay $125 funeral claim we
got along, but we were never able to
raise funds to assist our members
properly neither in advisable aggres-
siveness nor in defense Of the ni5bles
we had from time to time gained.
After the long strike which began in
May. 1892, it took US six years to clear
the debt, and In 1897 our dues were
increased to 20 cents per month and
later raised to the present rate, 81 per
| month.
One dollar per month for consid-
erable number Of years has been our
general dues. We have no per capita
tax system. Our constitution provides
for local expenses, and all the bal
ance Of the money goes to our head
quarters, is invested in a general fund
in the name of our international asso-
citation, and at the present time and for
many years past has been invested in
United States government registered
| bonds drawing per cent. At one time
when we had to SELL all we had of
them-Uncle Sans bonds-through
rising money market, had to and did
contribute Sc, 300 to our strike fund.
/ As has been stated. our employers
! always favored stirring up trouble In
/ winter time, so that they might cause
/ fight upon US during the cold winter
/ months when trade was dull. In No
yember, 1909, in fact, while the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor convention
was in session in Toronto, Ont, the
/ Granite Manufacturers association In
the granite belt Of Vermont again lock-
I ed us out. The lockout continued until
Washington's birthday, 1910 and In
that time from the defense fund Of our
trade association of about 5000 mem
bers we paid out in lockout pay $192,-
900 without assessing our own mem
bers or appealing to sister organiza-
tions for financial assistance. We won
the fight, and because the employers
had broken the agreement the new
settlement brought to our members
about 4 cents an hour additional COM
pensation and with a regulation that
no lockout for the same reason should
occur in the future.
While these collective activities were
going on others, also humanitarian,
were not forgotten. We pay $500 fu-
neral claim. If a member loses the
sight of an eye while employed at our
trade we pay him $500 When mem
bers are idle they need pay but half the
ordinary amount Of dues When mem
bers become fifty years of age and
have been with US for fifteen years
the half Of ordinary dues becomes their
fun dues, and if entirely idle they
need pay but the half OF that amount
When they become sixty years OF age
and have eighteen years membership
the last ten in consecutive good stand
ing they are thereafter exempt from
the payment of dues and assessments,
entitled to all our benefits and may
draw S125 of their $500 funeral claim
so that the sum may be used in such
direction as the member may elect. We
retain So Of the amount in guarantee
of proper interment at death. When
our members reach siXty-two years
Of age with twenty years membership,
we pay them $40 per month for six
months Of the year beginning with No
vember and ending with April. They
get this amount whether they are
working or idle and whether employed
at our trade or in some other line of
work
Is it not encouraging what even a
dollar a month may do?
We recently had a great trade CON
dict again In Vermont, and, although
some Of our greatest trade conflicts
have been in that state, it is of inter
est to report that, as far as granite cut
ting is concerned, Vermont is thorough
ly organized. A nonunion granite cut
ter in that state is looked upon as be-
ing either mentally off or mechanically
unfit, yet a few miles south of the
great granite belt in that state is the
great marble belt, furnishing about go
per cent of the cut marble of the coun-
try, with not a sembance Of organiza-
tion either among the cutters or quar-
rymen No dues are worse than low
dues, and both In their order are huge
mistakes.
Printers Sign Scale.
A three years contract with employ
trs has been signed by the Typograph-
| icoI OniOp Of Now WaCfTniuSfar u n