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

WHAT A1LS OVAOIn!
In 1907 a fight was made against
the union shop in the building indus
try in Duluth. A ''Conimittee OF One
Hundred' was selected from among the
business men and employers Of the city
to wage the contest against organlZcd
1abor. The Commercial club. the Real
Estate exchange and the Builders ex-
change participated in the movement,
and as result the so-called open
shop was introduced.
It will be remembered that there
was 4 small panic at the time Money
was tied up in the banks which We're
issuing cashier checks to the people
in lieu of United States currency. Busi
ness was brought to a standstil};- y. an,
Aarly winte. had set in and the 200
locked out building workers were un-,
able to long hold out against their
opponents.
Many and sundrv reasons were ad-
vauc.d BY the Business Interests. for
tho fight they were making on organ.
lied labor 1t was charged that the
union o. closed shop was impeding tho
growth of the city; that the ">tyran-
n.y. of union labor was preventing new.
industries from locating hore. and that
the United States Steel . corporation,
which was then planning to- build n
steel plant in Duluth, would not: start
work until and unless the strength Of
organized labor was" broken.
That was nearly Is years ago. For
II years Of that time the ':open shop
prevailed in most Of the industries.
During and since the war, due to the
rapidly advancing cost Of living aud
the new worldwide concept by the
workers Of democracy in industry, or
sanized labor took on new growth.
There are more union and fewer non
union wage workers now than form
"rlv. Indeed, in the skilled tyades, Il
non-union mechanic is m odditv. Pro
fessional strikebreakers have practi-
rally ceased to be. Their bands have
been broken mp BY the closing Of their
rendezvous-the saloon.
The union shop came back. in the
building industry, which is the most
strongly organized, through very nat
nral causes The trades. union had
absorbed the larger number Of non
nnion workers and in most instances
the employers found it more profitable
ia dcal with their employees collectively,
Through the unions. The 1907 lockout
had proved a costly experience to them
As an instance the master painters
assisted the Real Estate. Exchange to
make the fight against the union shop
When the struggle WAS over ana tho
non-unlon shop was established build.
ing managers, all members Of the Real
Estate Exchange, forgot the master
painters and they hired journevmen
painters by the day to do their. work
instead Of having it done through a
regular shop a. formerly, resulting in
the loss of considerable business to the
master painters. .
The master plumbers, too, found that
the ':opsn shop had produced new
aud menacing situation for them. The
long conflict had forced a number of
.iournevmen with little or no capital,
save their skill and experience; 10 do
work on their own account Small
"buckeve' plumbing shops were
opened in all sections of the city. Some
Of the :ourneymen utilized barns and
sheds as. shops, and they cut into the
trade right AMI left, giving the employ.
ing master plumbers fearful comreti-
tion and rooping them:of the cream Of
tho work.
A simila7 condition. developed in
every branch of the building industry.
Several busy. years followed, but they
were far from profitable to buildiu {
trades employers. A few favored firms
which managed to get contracts from
the steel. corporation did fairly we'll,
but the building industry As whole
suffered tremendously r>
During tho war tn. builder. cam. to
realize tie folly Of working against
tho unions. Some Of them lonsed for
tho old pleasant. relationship and conf,
dsnee that once prevailed, between
Themselves and their employees, aid
union chop agreements. were 're-estab
lished.> Last" year and the: year before
it was common TO see employers and
employees in the same hall, the former
the guests Of the latter, enjoying happy
pastimes together. .:
". recall one such event. The mas n