The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-07-29
UNIoNIsM FIRST
LINE OF DEFENSE
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is not due entirely to union influence.
Union Achievements.
Judging from the. data supplied
by over half Of the various local
unions, these organizations had been
effective in increasing wages for their
members" Most of the unions re-
ported increases in. the five years
prior to the survey. There
were no important decreases,
"Similarly, as to hours, many of
the locals reported reductions in
hours per day or per week in the last
tive years. Sheet metal workers. for
example. with an eight-hour day five
years before, had recently reduced
their hours per week from forty-eight
to forty-f6ur. Hours of journeymen
stone cutters had been reduced in tho
same way; hours Of union; die and
tool makers, from ffty-four to fifty:
OF Ice men, from sixty-six to sixty:
Of electrical workers, from forty
eight to forty-four. In number of
cases where there had been no re-
duction in hours, the eight-hour day
had been gained five years before. In
the majority of cases the improve:
ments both as to hours and wages
had been brought about without
strikes.
Hours Of Women Workers.
1T was clear from our investiga-
tions that a much larger proportion
Of male than female workers I'm
Springfield were enjoying an eight
hour day. The carpenters, painters,
bricklayers and other building trade
workers, the miners, the printers, the
cigar makers and many other male
workers through the strength OF. their
unions had been able to make this
gain. But their wives and sisters and
daughters. whose physical resistance
to the strain Of industrial occupations
is less than theirs. and who besides
generally have home tasks after their
exhausting day outside, for the most
part were working in Springfield fac
tories, stores, and laundries from
nine, to ten hours per day. One rea-
son for this undoubtedly was the fact
that women workers were almost en-
tirely unorganized. -. -,
$. ITO some extent, doubtless, reduc-
tions in hours of work may be looked
for from employers who see in their
industries an avenue for social serv-
ice: but the best hope, judging from
past accomplishments, appears to be
offered in labor organization under
intelligent and conscientious leader
ship.
For the reduction Of the hours Of
women workers the unions offer less
encouragement, not because women's
unions might not be effective #
strongly organized, but because 1t is
exceedingly difficult for the labor
union movement to make Roadway
among women workers.
Among skilled male workers the
unions will undoubtedly continue to
maintain their: strength and perhaps
increase it; but among unskilled men
and among women. workers, labor or.
ganization,.. though it., should be
striven for: nevertheless does NOT
look 80 hopeful. 1n.:the skilled trades.
therefore, RI male -. workers acting.
through their unions, may be counted
on to play q part in industrial better
nent, but among unskilled men and
women workers-where conditions
are farthest from ,sitisfactory-em-
! ployers and, the public must be relied
upon, chiefly for. improvement meas
ures.;;' ~. -,..., 49,. - =;
t. The report, includes chapters on
Springfield and Industry. Physical
Safety and Workmen's Compensation,
Child Labor, Wages and Regularity
| Of. Employment, Hours Of Work, One
Hundred ,wage-Earners' Families,
and Industrial Betterment in Spring