The Connecticut labor press., 1920-11-20
THE BUSINESS AGENT.
A Much Misunderstood and Very
 Valuable Labor Official.

Your unions are alright, and we be- lieve that labor should be organized,
 but your leaders are bad, and just so
 long as you have in your employ men
 known as walking delegates, you can
 from business men, who through preju-
 dice, and absolute lack of knowledge
 not hope for the, sympathy and good
 will of employers"
 Such remarks are frequently heard
 regarding the actual aims and objects ot trade unions are unmerclleSS in their attacks against those who make huge sacrifices for the cause
 To say the least, such remarks are simple, and to those who are conver- sant with the duties and responsibilities incumbent upon business agents, com
 monly called walking delegates by pre-
 Judiced employers, they sound rid1cu- lous III the extreme.
 Perhaps the most ridiculous state
 ment frequently heard is one to the ef- feet that when strikes are called by walking delegates" that local unions immediately double their salaries, and i'll this way encourage them to make strikes success.
 That men possessing ability and com mon sense should permit such mean and contemptible trash to prejudice their | minds against working people to some ! may seem strange, but to those ac- quainted with tactics in constant prac- tice by employers organizations, it is
 not surprising and wanting for bet | ter argument, they willingly take for granted stories circulated through this ! medium, which seems to be considered one of the best means for placing labor l unions III ridiculous position with | the public
 The business agent of labor union | IS llkened to the business manager of a store or any business that calls for an | executive official, and for norganiza- ! ton of sufficiently large membership to attempt to carry on its affairs without
 a business agent would be like attempt | ing to run a store or factory without a 1 manager or superintendent.
 he business agent is selected from l among the most able members of a local union. He is usually an experi-
 enced official, having served through the various chairs III his organization, and
 Is selected because of his experience and ability and knowledge concerning his 1 craft and the trade union movement. Unlike the manner in which he is painted by employers executives, his forehead IS not ornamented with horns, and neither is he bully. Rather, he ! I5 a plaln everyday ambitious fellow. who, while probably crude at first is
 out to make good. and in due time be- comes thoroughly fami1iarized with the duties of his office.
 His principal duties are to look after the general affairs of the union. This includes collection of dues, securing new
 members for his local union, acting on behalf of members in strengthening out o1r f..
 members, see that members are provid- ed with monthly working cards, repre-
 sent his local at meetings of delegate
 organizations with which 1t is affiliated, attend legislative hearings, and such
 other matters as make for the best in- terests of his local
 Contrary to the many evils which he
 Is accused of by his enemies he is vested
 with little power, his position being
 principally to act in the capacity of an investigator and not until the members
 of his local union have taken action by tWo-thir1s vote IS he empowered to call strike To hear his accusers denounce him,
 the uninitiated Is led to believe that the
 business agent glories in strikes. That the sttike IS his principal stock in trade, and that during it's existence he benefits to a great extent from financial stand point, one of the many points credited to him being that the moment strike IS called he benefits by drawing twice the amount of his regular salary.
 How ridiculous. And one wonders If those who tell these stories, actually believe them, as 1t IS a fact that of all things that business agent abhors is when his union votes to strike. Then, IS the time when his responsibilities null %1S1Vxr l1o., body of men look to him and other of fcials to make good.
 What he fears mostly is failure to
 make good, and he realizes that failure IS often ascribed by portion of the membership to lack of ability. This concerns him greatly, and of all men
 whose activities are spent in the inter
 est of trade unions none abhor strikes
 more than do business agents.
 It Is true that in the trade union movement, like all other organizations,
 businesses ard professions, there are un- scrupulous men. Men who place the mighty dollar above principle. But these are comparatively few. For the
 most part business agents and officials of 1oco1, state and international unions are honest and conscientious and are a credit to the movement
 The labor movement has had its Sam Parks, and is now battling with Brin- dle, but 1t takes little time to discover
 the nefarious practices of these crooks, | and no mercy is shown them.
 The labor movement Is clean move
 ment It stands for honesty. It dep1ores
 crookedness, and crooked officials soon
 find it poor medium in which to pur- sure their rotten game.
 Good, honest, conscientious and ann bilious men who exhibit desire to
 serve faithfully, and who are willing
 to make sacrifices, as most business agents do, always find favor with or 1 ganized working people, and knowing
 as we do the caliber of these men, after
 many years of close aind pleasant re1a- tions, we take this means of refuting | such statements as are advanced by un-
 scrupulous employers who make all
 kinds of unfair accusations in attempt
 ing to belittle union officials in the eyes
 of the public.