The Connecticut labor news., 1925-03-14
A BILLION.DOLLAR INDUSTRY TAKES UP
 THE UNION LABEL
By J. CHARLES LAUE.

The union label is coming into its safeguard of organized workers, em- ployed under healthful conditions, with the introduction of the sanitary label into the women's garment industry of New York City.
 It is now being sewn in cloaks, skirts, suits and dresses made in the model garment factories of the metropolitan area as the result of agreements be- tween tn International Ladies' Garment Workers Union and the employers association.
 The label is product not of the union directly but of a joint agency of the union and the employers, known as the Joint Board of Sanitary Control. This board inspects factories for vio- lations of the factory law, for viola tions of the rules of the Board of Health, it enforces the sanitary shop rules enunciated by the industry and it also inspects workers, certifying them as being free from contagious disease.
 No worker can get job in this in dustry which makes 80 per cent. of the women's garments in America, unless he goes before the joint board. Incl dentally to control such workers it is quite necessary tha the belong to the union. The result is that the sanitary label is an adjunct to the industry, composed of organized workers and employers. It is in the full meaning also union label, for not only are health conditions right in these 5000 shops employing all of 100000 work CTS, but wages and hours must be, for in union shops these are provided for under the agreements.
 Thus the sanitary label is not only a guarantee of the product turned out i'll New York factories but also of the fact that union labor is getting fair wage and working for not more than A hours a week and in the case of the dress industry not over 40 hours under the best labor standards that can be found anywhere ill the world.
 The union label has been introduced practically over night. It was provided for in the collective agreement last year but is now being put into full effect in the cloak industry, workers insisting the label be sewn into every garment to guarantee its workmanship. It has just been providd for by the settle ment reached in the dress shops. The combined women's clothing industry thus committed to the value of the union and sanitary label represents not merely 6,000 establishments, 100000 workers, but an annual wage earned of nearly $20O,O00,000 and product valued at s1,OOO,OOO,OOO
 The design of the label is itself an achievement. In bold letters on a black background is the word Pro sanis,'' the Latin for healthy people. It shows an arm holding a Roman lamp from the light of which the name of "Prosanis" emanates. Under the design are the words, Produced un- der conditions approved by the Joint Board of Sanitary Control"
 The Joint Board of Sanitary Control now aims to carry out campaign of publicity and education for the con- suming public. It will appeal to women consumers to purchase on1y garments containing "Prosanis" label and thus provide incentive for the re- tailers to request labels for their gar ments and encourage the efforts of all participating to maintain proper sani- tary conditions in the shops.
 Not all employers are complying with the conditions as yet The pro, cess of education is going on among them as we'll. Rigid inspection of the shops is being carried on, supported 1 by the governors commission of the cloak industry which is now making thorough investigation of hte gar nent factories as requested by both sides.
 The union is cooperating by having established special label office to compel the use of the label in every union shop, and drive is now in pro- gress for 10 per cent. compliance through the shop chairmen and active workers.