The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1915-09-03
STURY Of The CARPEIl caS
Struggled Hard For Existence Until
Conferred on Executive Board-Bea-
ging Letter System a Sign of Weak
ness-Consolidatio Urged.

ging Letter System a Sign of Weak
ness-Consoidation Urged.
BY FRANK DUFFY.
General secretary of the United Brother
hood Of Carpenters and Joiners of Amer
ica.l
Half century ago the working con.
ditions of the carpenters were deplora-
BILE. A workday lasted from sunrise
to sunset or as long as one could see.
Realizing they could change or better
these conditions only through organ
ization, they commenced to agitate
among the men of their craft and then
to advocate the formation of carpen-
ters unions.
In many cities such unions were
formed; but, being local affairs with
out a national head to guide them,
many disbanded within a short time.
This spasmodic system of organizing
and reorganizing locally continued un-
til 1881. when the United Brotherhood
of Carpenters and Joiners of America
was permanently formed.
1t was a question of doubt at that
time whether it would be success or
not owing to the fact that the mem
bers were not willing or perhaps could
not afford to pay from the meager
wages received high initiation fees and
high dues while at the same time
wanting all the benefits they could get
in return. These included sick, death
and disability benefits as well as tinan-
cial support in strikes and lockouts.
Per capita tax to the home office
was very low, while the demands on
said office were very heavy a few
years later-or, to be more exact, in
1S92-after meeting all the demands
made on US, we had in our general
treasury $51.19.
We met the emergency by giving our
general executive board authority 10
levy special assessments on our local
unions whenever necessary. Fol Il
number of years following several as
sessments We're levied by our board.
which caused much grumbling and con
siderable dissatisfaction. In 1909 we
submitted to referendum vote the ques-
tion of either raising the tax to the
home Office or again levying an as
SesSment. The membership voted by
large majority to increase the tax
and also continued TO give our general
executive board authority to levy as
sessmentS whenever necessary.
During the last ten years the wages
OF our members have been substantial
ly increased. in some places 30 cents
per week and in other places $50 per
week per member. Figured conserya-
lively this means that over $13,000,000
have been placed in the pockets Of eur
members annually more than they
would have received if there was no
such organization as the United Broth
erhood of Carpenters ANA .Ioiners Of
America Yet while that increase was
won for cur members through our or
ganiZation they. on the other hand, Oh.
jected, opposed and voted against pay
ing higher dues. no matter what bene-
fits were promised in return.
To be Il success we must be as lib
eral with our organization as We are
generous to ourselves. Or in other
our own protection and defense we
cannot, should not and, in fact, must
not expect others who have such
fund to help US.
The United Brotherhood of Carpen-
ters and Joiners of America, its local
unions and district councils have not
to our knowledge in the last twenty
years issued begging letters TO other
labor organizations asking for fnan-
cial aid to tide them over their diff
culties and troubles, strikes and lock-
outs. On the contrary at our Wash
ington convention in 1912 we estab-
lished a fund to protect our members
by levying an assessment of 81 per
year per member on our entire mem
bership payable to the home office
quarterly.
In doing this we caused the dues OF
our members to be raised considerably.
On membership Of 215000 in good
standing this means q defense fund
yearly of $215,000. We left with our
general executive board at the same
time authority to levy assessments If
such should be found necessary.
This begging letter sytem, now SO
prevalent among unions, shows
weakness and lack of management
somewhere, and of forethought and
foresight on somebody's part. 1t is not
at all encouraging TO hear one of those
letters read at a meeting of union.
predicting defeat and calamity if finan-
cial aid is not forthcoming. The old
saying has it that God helps those
who help themselves" and as charity
begins at home, 1t is time for organi-
cations unable to support their mem
bers in times Of trouble, strikes and
lockouts to get together and consoi-
date with kindred trades and thereby
form one good, strong organization in
which the interests of all can be taken
care of and protected. Then we would
not have so many national and inter
national unions as we have now, and
perhaps not so many jurisdictional dis
putes to contend with. Neither would
we have so many begging letters 60
Ing the rGuIs-S