Pueblo chieftain., 1921-12-10
the: GARMENT WORKERS STRIKE

I Impartial Chairman to preside over
their negotiations.
Later on, tho, 1t was found that the
Arbitration Board could not handle all
of the numerous matters coming up in
regard to working conditions. and that
some additional organization would be
necessary. Accordingly. another board.
known as the Trade Board. was
formed, consisting OF five representa- :
tiyes from the union and five from
the employers, with the same Impartial
Chairman who served on the Arbitra-
tion Board. H4
The manufacturers were represented
In the Trade Board largely by labor
managers A plant OF any considerable
size always employs a labor manager.
while tho smaller plants usually com
bine to hire one manager. who func-
| tions for all OF them. These labor
managers acting for the employers
and the union representatives. acting
Tor tho workers. constituting the
Trade Board. were authorized to settle
all disputes that could not be scttied
locally in the shops. Th. Impartial
Chairman. paid and trusted by both
sides. presided over the Board and cor
responded to n Judge In our courts
Cases were argued before him. and his
decision was accepted as final. except
In rare instances when appeal was
made to the first Board of Arbitration
a moro effective system of Industrial
arbitration has never been devised.
Other clothing centcrs almost Inn
mcdiatcly adopted II. but IL was "A long
time before 1t took hold upon New
York. Local conditions conepircd to
prevent 1t. DIR. Lciscrson. Impartial
Chairman for tho clothing industry in
Rochester. explains these conditions
as follows:
THE NEW YORK SYSTEM
In the first place. two-thirds OF all
tho work In the New York market is
done by contractors. The significance
OF this is that the employer 10 not
really manufacturer. He handles the
financial and sales end of the bust
ness. but he throws Off his shoulders
all tho manufacturing problems and
shovcs them on TO tho contractor. The
contractor is usually small employer
running small shop with little
knowledge OF modern manufacturing.
In busy times he pays any wages his
people ask. lie can mako tho firm
for whom he works pay the price in
order to get the work. In slack time.
however. the firm saucczcs the con-
tractor down TO the very lowest price
possible bccaus. hundreds of contrac-
tors are competing for work then.
Having contracted TO do the work for
n very low price. the contractor
squcezes down tho wages OF his cm-
ployees. or. as 1t In known In the
trade. 'swcats' his profits out of the
wagcg OF tho workers.
Thus. it was not until 1919. after nine
years of struggle. marked by several
victories and defeats. that the New
ork garment workers finally succeeded
In securing the same system OF indus
trial arbitration that was in vogue In
the other markets. AT this time there
was tremendous shortage OF labor
because or the war, and the carmen;
industry was enjoying unprcccd nted
proYperity. The manufacturers were
willing to pay enormous wages In osder
TO get help, and the garment makers
union was often put in the cmbarrass-
ing position of keeping wages down
In some cases 1t actually forced union
members 10 return to jobs paying s.
and so week less than other cm-
ploycrs had offered them.
Tho manufacturers, on tho other
hand. met the workers half way. thru
the arbitration board by granting
tn .ir demands that tho picccwork avs.
tom. long the chief bone of contention.
bo abolished. in favor OF a straight
weekly wage. This concession, as we'll
as "A shortening OF the 5i-hour week.
was made In an agreement which was
to last until 1922
Last spring, however the manufac-
turcrs began to show signs that they
regretted their bargain. Tho public
had ceased its extravngant buying o
clothes. and 1t seemed proba bic that
II would continue to exercise thrift
In that direction. Prices would have
to go down. Production costs would
have to go down first. They rcmem-
bered the good old days when workers
were paid by the piece. and kept work
ipg frantically on that piece until 1t
was done.
But tho Arbitration Board. together
with the Impartial Chairman. refused
to countcnancc n return to piccswork
Instead, II sHgEestcd that "A committee