The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-05-29
WHAT ,ll AIS DULUTH?

F, -!.S
:, 4: WHAT AIS DULUTH? 80 =;
In 1907 \ fight was made against
tho union sshop in the building indus:
tly in Duluth. Ace Committee Of ons
hundred ',:wsaas selected from amoh .the
busihsss men and: employers Of the, city
to. wage the: contest against organized
labor: TIE COMMERCIAL club, ,the: Reall
Estate exchange and the. Builders :ex:
change participated in the NOV ement,
and A. result the so:called "open
shop" was introduced; t%=>> = - .. r r.
It will be remembered that ; there
was l. small panic: at. the time. : Money
was tied up in; the banks which. were
issuing cashiers checks to. the people
in:lieu Of United States currency. Bust
ness was brolghtsG*tos,a standstin;- :. an
asrly wintei. had ssetz in and the. 1000
leSked-out building, worker. were. un:
able No long hold out against their
opponents. -. ~ IT,: * L: ! : ). !,
!. Many and sundry reasons were ) adj
vancsd by IN business interests for
ii. tight they :.Wese making: on. organ.
lied labor. > It. WlG:,eharged that: the
nnion or closed shot.w1as impeding: tho
growth Of tho city, that the" tyr4n-
Ay',of nnion labor was preyenting:new
industries from locating; here and; that
ths> United: States Steel corporation,
which was, then planning to%bhild a
steel plant I'M Duluth, would notsstart
work. until and, unless the strength Of
6r1aHised labor was broken, s. = ::
That was, nearly 1S::z years ago. For
ll'ysar.! df;thet time tho s'4open shop
prevailed inss most o. the: industries:
During: and; since the war,:duesto sths
ralialy; adyansinE :sest OF living and
III: aew; world :wide: concept ~ thu
workers ef democracy 81 industry, or:
sanized, labor; took on new growth.
There are more union a I'D fewer non
union wage: workers now than form:
erlv.s. Indeed in the skilled ,tadss,, .
non: union mechanic liz AN oddly: Pro:
fessional strikebreakers !: have Z praeti:
eslly ceased to- be- Their bands have
been: broken; up blythe closing Of their
rendezvous-the ssloon::..$s: :. 80 =: $
The union shop came ! back; in the
building industry, which ;: is tie: most
strongly organized, :throug Oh very: nat;
ursl cause.::: The trades: union had
absorbed larger number Of non:
union workers! and In in: most instapces,
the employers foand*it:more profitable
te deal with then: ienpl6yes< eoilectively
through the. unioAs:s The 100 - lock ouit
had proved a costly experience to them.
As an instance the1,:ma,tcr painter,
assisted the Real Estate. Exchange to
make the fight aeainststhe> union shop.
When the struggle was over and tho
nop.union shop was established build.
ing managers, alt members of the Real III,
Estate Exchange; forgot the. master
painters and they hired .jourheymenn
painters by the day TO do their; work
instead. Of having it done through ! q
regular shop, as formerly, resulting in
the loss Of considerable business to the
master painters ;. = -, 49,: ~. -. -.r..- q,
The: master plumbers,s too,> found that
the "open shop" ad:produeed q, now
and menaeing situation*for :thenn.:. The
long conflict had forced 4 number Of
jearueymen With. little s.ors no ei,: capital
aye their skill and experience; t.. do
vsork on ;their own account. Small
sbpekeye'''; plumbing shops were we're
opened in All sections Of tho city. some
OF the ;journeymen utilized. barns fa iu
sheds ss; shops, and they, cut::into: tht
trade right and left; giving the .snpl,y:
ing master plumbers fearful coml1lppeti
titn And rebbing them.of the; cream 81
tHS work. /. !. I 3: NJ 'E.. - s.
4 similar condition developed III
! every branch Of the bhi1dinx Industry
several .busys: year.:; followed, but they
were FIR 4from profitable / {: to buildipi
tfadss enployers.. a few favored 'jdrm,,
~iieh / managed, tos get seolntrae from
steel. eorpro lion did fairly Wen
~ the !, baild Ding industry As I Who'll.
88I a. stFs4end susly y.
urilt >.thssw, thss bulild ers cam. Il,
lI1rsslizss: ~ foliys ofs aim
10 snions. Some so1 them-l ID xsad u Is,
~ 4 AZ plsa,ant Zip md seen1
dsnee that once preyailsd & between
"a i Ives and their. sSkpslo IND
ss,llsioa ihok eenent s fs-.esttab
slitAsd. Last ysats snds tho 81 sbsfor,
4 II common 1g te ~ ssnplo ssnd
q n fleysts. IS. the sans hall, the fofme,
sueats of the latter, s. dying d Il Happy
q stisss tore her. sl. q a
real one AUG It. e ms