Montana labor news., 1948-05-27

Wal III certainly have been no eXeep'
ton to the rule.
When our enemies capitulated in
the summer Of 1915. the world was
almost as unprepared for peace as our
nation had been for war when oul
fleet was attacked at PearPIlarbor on
December Z, 1871. Over night our in
peace time levels.
The workers Of America were Ell
listed in time of international crisis
to win the war and we are enlisted
o TO win the peace.
The Union Label is a symbol OF
peace time planning.
The Union Label on manufactured
articles and the Service Button and
Shop Card displayed by the service
industries are ~unfailing evidence that
those displaying these emblems ar,
doing their part in the battle agains,
initiation and for the preservation oil
American standards Of lite and work
The Union Label is as rich in tradi
ton as the emblem OF any o~rganiza
ton in all history.
The Guilds. from which our modern
Trade Unions grew. were those Of the
ancient Saxons and we're found in
England in about the eighth century
fighting the battles Of the workers
and common citizens.
The Union Label. Shop Card and
Button idea was born in the old world
but it gained new vigor when il
crossed the great expanse of the At
lantic and landed in America.
The new world was striving fol
greater justice, broader freedom and
more humane conditions.
1t was fitting that the organized
labor movement should adopt EN-
blems to place on the banners of it,
great cause.
Like a great crusade this fight fol
Union Made goods has been volun
tarily carried on.
While the cigar makers are gener
ally understood to be the inventors
and sponsors OF the earliest trade
union labels in America. a similar
device vas used six years earlier, il
1869, by the Carpenters eight-houl
league of San Francisco. This league
furnished a stamp to all planning mills
operating on the eight-hour plan il
order that they might be able to iden
tify the work Of the ten-hour mills.
The Carpenters still have a Unior
Label and are today one of the mos
active unions in the Union Labe
Trades Department.
From 1880 TO 1890 the label idei
continued to grow in popularity ane
was employed by several trades in
Guiding the Hatters and the Typo
graphical union and the Can Makers
The Typographical union of Nortl
America, the Garment Workers. tn
Coopers. the Bakers and the Tailor!
adopted a label in 1886 and the Mold
ers and Boot and Shoe Workers il
1887.
The Union Label Trades Depart
ment of the American Federation 0
Labor was organized in 1909 to sup
port and expand the label program.
The history Of the Union label re
veals that many trade unions doubled
their membership soon after they de
cided to use this unique craft symbol
The American Federation of Labor
in 1890, adopted a Union Label 70
use by those unions having no nation
al organization: but affiliated directl
with the federation.
There are now sixty Union Label
which are displayed on goods, on sho
cards, or buttons or trades which con
prise over Il million union workers.
In addition, if trade ~unionists woul
influence their friends to buy onl
Union Made products and Union ser,
ices, these combined consumers an
customers would become the creates
force in the nation. This vast arm
of buyers would hold prosperity j
the palms of their hands.
The Union Label is the official sea
of social security. 1t is the trad
mark OF the American Federation {
Labor.
Buying Union Made goods is pr
marily a matter of education. Th
best place to start an educational can
paign is in your home. Organize tn
entire family to buy only product
and services which display the Unto
Label. Shop Card and Button. Ever
member of the union home shoul
familiarize himself with the union /
bells, shop cards and buttons. Whe
a labor unionist makes up his famil
budget for the month he should chez
off all the articles and services whic
a be bought from business esta
lishments which are fair to unic
workers. You will thus raise the Ii
ing standards of American Labor al
advance the worthy cause of labt
unions.
In 1891 the BARRIERS and the Reta
Clerks adopted the Union Shop car
Both these trade unions are active
the union label movement and ha,
been most successful in creating
demand for the services OF unit
workers. In 1892 the Brewery Wol
ers established their Union Label.