The Connecticut labor news., 1924-11-15
TRADE UNION FEDERATION
 SUGGESTS USE OF LABEL
 TO SAFEGUARD 8-HOUR DAY

Washington, D. C., Nov. 15-Outline
 of a plan suggested by the International Federation of Trade Unions to safe guard and extend the 8-hour workday in every civilized nation, is interesting labor executives here. The plan is based on the successful use of the union label by trade unions of the United States. beling with an Flight Hours Mark" of all goods exported from countries which have not ratified the Washington Eight Hours Convention. In statement from its headquarters at Amsterdam, Holland, the Federation says:
 Amy new suggestion which promises to be of use in safeguarding the 8-hour day deserves very careful attention in these days, when employers are so eag- erly trying to abolish this very incon- venient limitation to their powers of ex- plotting the workers It was recognized at the Washington Conference in 1919 that the 8-hour day would have to be secured internationally, for if it were not, the door would be open to unfair competition by countries which refused to adopt it
 Trade unionists know now even bet ter than they did in 1919 that if one country defaults, all the others must suffer a result and that no country is really safe so long as the workers of another country work more than eight hours. Here and there plans have been considered which aim at stronger action by the international trade union movement to compel countries which do not adhere to the S-hour day to observe the provisions of the Washington Con vention.
 "The union-label system of America lis well known, and, generally speaking, the results do not Seem to be unsatis- factory Why should not similar sys- day? All goods exported from coun- try which has not ratified the Washing ton Eight-Hours Convention would then have to bear label with the words Eight Hours Mark It would, of course, be the business of the trade unions to control the labelling of the goods. Goods without this mark would be refused transit by the transport workers of the country of destination, or even of any transit country which they would have to pass through; and in certain cases (sefnf-manufactured goods), the workers of the country of destination would refuse to use them for finishing processes
 'tIt would, of course, be absolutely es- sentia1 to have the cooperation of inter national transport workers; but in the case of semi-manufactured goods, such as iron and steel, which are being sent to another country to be used for man ufacturing the finish article, 1t would also be necessary to secure the assist ance of the workers engaged in the fin 1sh1ng processes.
 Precautions would also have to be taken, similar to those now successfully adopted by the British building unions, who see to it that all doors, etc, i'm ported from abroad bear special stamp or are accompanied by declaration from the trade union of the exporting country guaranteeing their manufacture in conformity with the provisions of the agreements made by that trade union.
 "In the United States. appeal is made to the public not to buy goods which do not bear the union label Tn the case of goods with the Eight Hours Label 1t is not so much the general public as the organized workers to whom appeal would have to be made, for everything would depend upon them If, for i'm stance, the transport workers, or the workers engaged in finishing processes, refuse cooperation, the whole scheme would fall to the ground.
 "But organized workers would soon realize that much can be done in this way to secure better working conditions for comfades in other countries, and to the 8-hour day in their own Then, too, in countries where the 8-hour day is practical reality, and not dead letter, public opinion would be on the side of the work CTS, as in these countries long working hours are universally regarded as an un- fair way of competing in the world market
 "The above are, of course, broad out lines only There would, of course, have to be an enormous amount of pre- paratory work But the very fact that the success of the scheme does not depend on winning the support of an apathetic public so much as upon the enthusiastic cooperation of the work