The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-09-04
Collective Bargaining Recognized BY Best
Type of American Statesmen and EMPLOYER
representatives. arc held until an
agreement 10 reached.
Q. What ADVANTAGE has such 4

agreement II TSACQe0.
Q. What advantage has such 4
joint agreement
A. It removes friction that always
exists where employees have no voice
in the making Of their wage and con-
dittons of employment. It is democ-
I racy in industry a. opposed to auto
| cracy. The employees know what
they are to receive for Z certain per-
iod and therefore cAn plan ahead in
buying a. home or, 1naking improve
nents in their standard Of living.
Q. Does collective bargaining pro-
tect the :employes?
A. Yea. Employees can not be dir
charged at the will Of q, ::strAw boss:
Charges against them must be made.
and after a trial, If they ere found
true, then the offenders can be dis
charged. IT untrue. they retain their
positions.
Promotes Better Feeling.
@. What effect does this have on
the STRAW bosses':7
A. 1t makes them more careful.
They are not 10 arbitrary or DO not
seek trouble. It brings about rau.
tually better feelings and relations.
@. Does the fact that an ernploye
can not: be discharged without cause
make him more Independent and
likely to create friction?
A. No. Men who are placed on
their honor, which is the result Of
collective bargaining, feel they have
an interest in tho plant and make
every effort to carry out tho union
n ~
brow-beatsn or coeNed. They take
suit is better output and a lower
! turnover Of labor. Their initiative
powers are not curtailed and because
OF that they try to create new meth
DDS that will be of benefit to the bus
mess. They are men and not mere
machines, and this results in better
| feeling between employers and en-
ployes.
@. Can unorganized employees BAR
gain collectively. -
A. Not with certainty that they
| will be treated fairly. Unorgauized
| employees are subject to influences
that will hamper their efforts tor
fair bargaining.
.. Why?. .
I A. Being unorganfzed they cannot
| agree collectively to any proposition
that will benefit them, as the intlu-
| ences referred to will divert them
into accepting less than that to which
they are entitled,
Fear Ever Present.
Q. What are these influenced?
A. Men employed as individuals
always retain the fear that they are
to be discharged or have their wages
lowered whenever the employer sees
tit to do It. They are not in a posi-.
ton to enter objections to their work.
ing conditions because OF these salne
fears. They are voiceless in their
own affairs because they cannot act
collectively. Each is suspicious Of
the other. Some feel that they are
overlooked by the employer, while
others are favorites who receive all
the best work. Jealousies arc Great
ed. Discomfort is rife. Therefors
when the. unorganized employees all
meet together to decide what they
shall ask the employer, they become
cowardly for: fear some other en-
ploye will report them to the en-
pAoy0A. 1AO0C VIII tdAS IN dCtAf9
part always are the favorites Of the
employer and they advocate only
those things to- which the great ma
jorfty OF the employees would object
if they were not afraid. The outcome
OF such meeting is neevr satisfac-
tory. Instead, discomfort grows and
in time the: employees form a real
trade union and from that time on
they do not fear to express their
thoughts or openly object to the
statements Of those known al CON-
pany men.
Democracy in Industry.
Collective bargaining, it will be
seen, makes tor a better citizenship.
1t uplifts those who while morgan
lied were timid and servile. The in
dustries accepting collective bargain
ing are stabilized and can fare the
future with certainty instead OF
doubt. Raising the standard of citi-
zenslip Of the workers through COL
lective bargaining affects the COM
munity in which they live. The stan
dard Of living is improved; tho chill
dren are benefited through better
chances for education, ana the home
is made happier by the fact that the
head Of the family is able to earn .
sufficient wage to support those DE-
pendent upon him. This 10 democ-
racy in Industry.