Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1924-08-29
LABOR UNIONS

The improved conditions of union
men have not been received as gift
from employers. Every cent of in
crease, every hour taken off the
workday, every improvement in work
ing conditions, has been made poss-
ible by the union workman refusing
to accept anything less. The business
Of the employer is to buy labor at the
lowest possible price, and it is the
business of the labor unions to assist
the members in selling their labor at
the highest possible price. Individual
Workmen cannot bargain on equal
terms with large employers of labor
The individual workman is but unit,
and a mighty small one at that, in
dealing with the large commercial
combinations, trusts, etc.
In former times toilers were accord
ed no rights, they were but serfs and
slaves, and were given no more priv
ileges than the beasts of burden.
Tyranny and repression prevailed.
The first stone laid in the founda
tion of economic liberty was the for
nation of the guilds. So hemmed in
were they by restrictive regulations
and laws it is improbable that the ac-
tive spirits in the formation Of these
guilds had any clear conception OF
what might be accomplished save and
except that the organizations permit
ted the close contact Of the wealth
producers and afforded a safeguard
against further repression. Slight
reference to the past is admissible,
but in our day the right of ge-earn-
ers to make common cause with one
another is not directly denied. The
legal right is afforded every work
man to join with his fellows in an
effort to bargain with his employer.
Of course the employers are not anX-
ious or willing that their workmen
should organize, and this very fact
ought to be sufficient proof that the
employers have the best of the bar
gain. If the employers set the price
on the products that a workman pro-
duces, why should not you, the work
man, set the price on the labor that is
necessary to the employer?
Labor unions don't want to wait.
They want more wages fer their
members, better conditions and short
er hours today, now The employers
will make all kinds of promises for
the future, with the hope that the
wage-earners will lapse into lethargy
and forget about them. The employ
ers have fought and will fight for
more profits, and the workmen should
enter into the spirit of the age, com
bine with their kind and fight for
their interests also.
Business of all kinds is organized;
the men who do the work should take
the tip from the business interests
and protect themselves by applying
the business mans methods. Every
workman should make up his mind
that the employers are not going to |
generously hand him more wages and !
other betterments unless they are
compelled to. Over 100000 men and |
women are members Of labor unions /
in the United States. That this vast /
number of toilers realize the necess-
ity of cooperation should be CON
elusive argument to the unorganiZed .
that organization is the most effec- .
tive method of meeting present-day
conditions.
The labor union is practical. It
does things. It's program is not made
up of promises to be fulfilled in
(maybe) the dim future. 1t deals
with wages, hours and conditions of
labor this week, this day, this min
ute. Organized labor is not organ
lied charity. Every member has to
do his or her part, and when achieve
ments are realized the benefits are
distributed equally. 1t is a plain bus
mess proposition. The labor union
transacts its business right here on
earth and not in the clouds.
When members of unions want
more wages they tell their employers
how much more they want. They are
not scared by the employers, the same
kind of blood flows in the veins of !
the employers as in the workman.
Employers have no divine rights,
neither have the employees. The lab
or unions bargain with the big and
small employers. Workmen want
square deal, and the only way to get
it is to get together in a labor union
and demand it. Then fight for it.