The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1918-02-23
Twin PORTS SHIP
employees PLEDGE
LOYALTY TO U. S.
h. F.,Nickerson, Milwaukee, Ad-
dresses Meeting Of Shipbui|d:
ers at Superior.

Loyalty to the government was
pledged by 500 men representing
every craft affiliated with union labor
in the building of ships in Duluth and
Superior at a mass meeting held Tues
day night at Terminal hall, Superior.
L. +. Nickerson of Milwaukee, gen.
eral organizer of the International
Association of Machinists, who was
the principal speaker, pointed out
that unstinted loyalty should be given
the administration in the ship build
ing program.
Mr.. Nickerson indicated the duty
each and every man must perform.
high spirit of patriotism, adopting
resolutions of loyalty. =:
Means Collective Bargaining.
"Organized labor means collective
bargaining. This the average en-
ployer has been opposed to. It has
been hard to get him to understand
that he can attain greater results by
cooperating and joining hands with
the collective bargainers. Employers
were antagonists and the laboring men
who had a grievance were likely to
fight right off the bat, whether or not
it was diplomatic move. In many
cases it was becadse they did not use
judgment and good common sense.
The great problem today and one
which many of you undervalue, is that
this war must be won, and the win
ming of it depends upon you.
1T is important that at this time
you lay aside your petty differences
and stand united behind the govern
ment. Those little things that we
used to pick up and fight over should
have no place beside the big issues
that confront our country today. Or
ganized labor must stand behind the
government in this great conflict as it
has throughout history. If organized
labor should make bad move now.
think what it would mean to the
country. Stop and think. Use sound
judgment that your actions may shape
your future after the war.
Must Maintain Harmony.
This quitting at moments notice
does no good to yourselves or to the
organization. We want to avoid such
things. We want to show efficiency
of our men and we want to show the
government shipbuilders that we can
keep harmony. If we can do this we
have built monument to organized
labor that will stand till eternity.
Conditions are different now from
normal times. We cannot demand
some of the things that we could then.
1.-The government insists on the
| reorganization of commuters Yand the
adjusting of all differences. The gov
! eminent has an adju: 'nent board of
four or five men who : .-estiGate the
scale of wages. When you can go be-
| fore that board with the statement
that organized labor is willing to CO.
operate With the government you will
get consideration"
The adoption of resolutions followed
his talk. .se<rrYs
Opposition to the introduction Of a
. "welfare system in Twin Ports ship
yards was also expressed. AS presented
by speakers, the proposed plan, whose
inauguration@aro uses hostility, con-
templates the selection by the COM
pany of one representative Of each
craft. All these representatives are
to b gathered together by the COM
pany on Tdsday afternoons and COM
pany and workers will discuss welfare.
IF the employers are interested in
the welfare of their workers, let them
cooperate with organized labor" was
the most popular dictunas touching the
proposal.