The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-04-02
THE LABOR REPORT
Criticisms and Defenses of Trade
UnioniSm.
SUMMARY OF MAIN POINTS.

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 IL ther~
no penalty for the brea king OF agree
ments, but the employer has no re-
dress even for material damage done
by the union except through legal &C
tion against Individual members
The reply Of the union representa-
lives 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-
ton on the part Of the union to see
whether breach of contract would
leave balance in favor Of its mem
bers after the bond was forfeited;
that the assumption of financial re-
sponsibility by the unions would sim
ply be taken advantage of by the en-
ployers to harnss the unions.
Criticism 1.-The closed shop pol
Icy of the unions not only means mo
nopoly Of la Dor as far as the employer
Is concerned. but also prevents compe
tent mechanics who are unable or IN
willing to accept the terms imposed by
the union from obtaining employment.
THE reply from labor Is that there
lis 10 CLOSED shop, but that the main
tenance Of the union shop imposes no
burden Oh the employer, who is free to
employ any workman he pleases pro-
vided that the workman will become
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'
tons 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 a 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 mp
plying merely the rule OF ordinary bust
ness where the amount of given com
modify sold Is regulated entirely by
the price that is paid
Criticism 4.--The unions esta blish a
uniform rate for all members. which
results in rewarding the incompetent
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 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-
r.. 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 sufficient supply OF skilled work
men. but also prohibit the American
boy from learning the trade in which
he 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
| " 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.
Criticism THE unions use violent
methods and do not hesitate TO VIOLATE
the law or to DESTROY property or tfe
II necessary TO gain their ends
"The unions reply TINT vias-ucc IS
never sanctioned ny any legitimate IN
Dor organization aud Is never re~urtHd
to by individuals eN"erI under severe
provocation and IN self defense They
recognize their duties {" defend thrir
lives. homes and families. TINT even ~,
der attack exercise much grtr,t"r SET
control than the civilized nations " IN
| world On the nth1r hNnd they insist