THE STORY OF THE PAINTERS UNION
Silverstein, Louis
THE STORY OF THE PAINTERS UNION by Louis Silverstein ment in the eighties of the mil century. The benef h* the necessity for national unions drawing haps their feM local bodies of the same...
...Secretary-Treasurer...
...The ballots were to be counted at the offices of the A- F, of - L. In Washington...
...of the United Front Committee of Passaic, asked that the meeting proceed in proper parliamentary order by electing its officers...
...But the real strength of the movement ¦ was even greater than might be inferred from these figures...
...vltefl...
...Also cqnsiderabtyB dlsjconler.t had been aroused Th'many c.uartefjr because of the lack, of aggressiveness of the Administration...
...The Issue "at stake was not ideological...
...In view, at the former Communist domination, of the Federation, this is counted as a So...
...But tt lasted only five years...
...Reporters, how7 ever, were not permitted to become visitors...
...It became a perennial topic at A. F. of L. conventions...
...It looked very much as If this conference was called to ask Independent textile unions to affiliate with the Federated Textile Unions...
...The General Council was empowered to appoint representatives oT the national center to attend tl*e International Labor Conference at Geneva...
...Thirteen organizations, representing about six hundred members, had delegates there...
...The New York unions would not permit the Patterson workers to operate in New York without paying a fee, and the New Jerseyites would not agree to that brand of unionism...
...The action taken was a survival of the prejudices current up to a generation ago, which many of the old-timers cannot overcome...
...Nevertheless, in March, 1925, the Executive Council ruled that members had to pay not less than $1.50 per month...
...msJrJag d| ,9a4at:sastasberseitp of 239,704 on D*es%!* A rose nation was passed deo*cjQ^V the decision last September cd,.*ka General Unskilled Workers' AamaVg...
...With Elliott out of the way...
...Representatives had been appointed in previous years, bnt always with violent protests on the part of the extreme Communist elements...
...The Yugoslav Rail Wurmen's Union, which is also affiliated with the I.T...
...McKinaey and his fellow-officers resigned and"a new set of officials was elected, giving each Side equal representation...
...Even court proceed-' ings were shamelessly instituted by each side...
...8^^^^^^*^'- .*aW^».-^- , tan -'i-a~* .*F^^*ea*TBaBaBaasa* . .. LaborJbmmbroad A dBTATION by the Sti StgllmfSBS» fik menu in the Finnish s*ad»*wtkca 4* ~ of Labor bore good rruft at the national convention held to "Hetsmgfor* May 9 to 8. Although only seventeen ot th* seventy-five delegates were avowed Socialists, they presented thefa arguments so forcefully that many of the nordinal yommunlsts and some non-partisans voted for _ several of their proposals and put them *croa*Among these was a resolution that the nation*i Federation aad the local unions mUst remain independent, from all political parties, must not...
...In ISM the word "Paperhangers" was Inserted fn th* title...
...The leaders of the national center were charged to continue the negotiations inaugurated by the Anglo-Russian Committee, for the-present, the center decided' not te affiliate with any trade union international, but tt called upon the constituent unions to affiliate with their competent international trade secretariats...
...The proposal was defeated by a majority of 7,000...
...1 was formed In Baltimore in 18S7...
...Leger of Cleveland, decided H6 meet atfywey - and called a special general assambly to convene ta' Cleveland, December *, int...
...cialist yictory...
...the Progressive Party la the International Typographical Union has defeated the Ad - , ministration forces...
...The graphic arts ore* being revolutionized by "process photography" and "sensitized printing methods," which are methods employed In photoengraving...
...Secretary of the Buigariaar Rail waymen's Union, eras appointed secretary...
...THE RUNAWAY SHOP In conjunction with the threatening strike tat the cloak aad' suit trade In New York City, much importance must be attached to an item ia the Mlddtetown fN- Y.) "Daily Herald' ef May U. 192...
...Which was made possible through a donation by Samuel A. Dp Witt, conductor of the Chatterbox...
...tk>n,' numbering 85,000 amatbaas] "tavl leave the Federation of Labor on ***jb3 1. this year and urging the A*a*eav3 tion...
...50 cents more than the amount voted down in the referendum...
...tell of...
...The task of the new organisation wSl be to give mutual support to affiliated organizations, to carry on propaganda for the affiliation of unions not yet belonging to the I. T. F. aad to organise transport workers' unions where there are none...
...Unfortunately, we are unable to report fully on this meeting or to evaluate Its accomplishments for the very good reason that we, along with other press representatives, were "thrown out...
...of the British strikers...
...The elections took place two months later...
...A credential committee, consisting of five delegates from the F. T. U. of A., two from the Associated SUk Workers' Union and two from other organizations, was appointed by the chairman...
...Ctol' .General Council voted 50,0*0 creWapy .(Ate1*.cents apiece) weekly for the sa...
...Issyof...
...The largest union is the Metal Workers, with 70.99S members...
...tent with the observations of the...
...In 1871 he was Instrumental tn founding the Grand Lodge of Painters'of America...
...Ordinarily 1 per cent, of the union scale of wages must be paid by each member to the pension and mortuary fund...
...The Socialists succeeded In • having the 1S22 resolution in favor- of affiliation with the Red Trade Union International (which had never been put Into effect) rescinded, but the vote for affiliation with the International Federation of Trade Unions was only IS against 52...
...THE SPECTRE OF DUAL UNIONISM No sooner had the Amalgamation Conference of Textile Workers' Organisations been called to order than Albert Welabord...
...Samuel Gompers...
...Papers were served"' on these officials on March ii of tills year...
...reported at the time by cable...
...The pointers were swept along on the wave of the now enthusiasm, aad In 18*7 organised what wag then known aa .the Brotherhood of Painter* and Decorator* of America...
...The latter, however, were Irreconcilable...
...LITHOGRAPHIC reONTIERS How industrial progress may play havoc with the crafts . recognized within the American Federation of Labor is well Itustrated In the current controversy between the International Photo-Engravers' Union and the Amalgamated Association ot LltbogV runners...
...EXCLUDING THE PRESS We noted in these columns two Weeks ago that a conference for the amalgamation of the textile unions was to take place in New York City June S and «, 192...
...One office, the second vice-presidency, is still in doubt...
...The National Center win "-" co-operate with- - the* Workers' Educational Union to make the educational work more intensive...
...that if labor must fight la the courts to compel its "friends" tp.be -friendly," it SS convincing enough testimony that Independent PC«t*ra» aotte...
...The - campaign was exceedingly vituperative on the...
...The constitution provided that taxation oonld - only be increased by referendum vote...
...Here McKinney was expelled from the Brotherhood aad the Buffalo General Assembly was declared illegal...
...31 1 leaf up to about 22,0*0.0*0...
...aJstance...
...to reconsider Ita action...
...From the first McKinney was supported by -his own local in Chicago, which -granted him funds...
...I. a aheer B9C*j4*&ym ts*> -eB> cj Margery Swett Mansfield Is Winner Of New Leader $100 rWay i^rize TIE annual New Leader-Chatterbox Poetry Contest has been won by Margery - Swett Mansfield...
...Representatives cf each side and of <he A. F. of L, .were present...
...W. B. De Vaux of St...
...Much money waa spent, particularly by the Wghnetas, the political organization of those then in office and their friends...
...Also, little realisation seemed to be had that official publicity was not always unbiased or reliable...
...Karl Renner, its presides*, reported...
...as president of the American Federation of Labor, and P. J. McGuire...
...In the Pittsburgh convention of ISPS much discontent hod come to the fori''because the executive board members were.not selected from different portions ot the country...
...McKinney and the other official* of the La Fayette group constantly maintained -that they were willing to give up office if Elliott and his group did likewise...
...lev - Ings deposits rose from lio.eoo schfiUnas to 1,050,000 in spits of ths dlft-rcult financial situation of the great mass of Austrian workers...
...Joseph 'ft...
...The relations already existing between the Finnish and the Scandinavian trade union organizations are to be fostered and extended...
...When Dr...
...It Is a factor which the New York nhion officials must consider In risking a strike this summer...
...But the agitation did not subside either among the independent unions or within the Knights "Jf Labor, where It was carried on under cover on account of the opposition of the latter to the principle of national craft unions...
...Instead, a press committee was' set up to release publicity...
...Joseph Harrold of Newark was jiade General President, and John T. Elliott, who had' gone to Baltimore, General Secretary...
...cuae...
...as secretary of the Carpenters' Union, lent a helping hand...
...In 1921 this was done...
...That would, presumably, make them responsible persons...
...the Sawmillworkers with 31,354 and the Paperworkers with 2.M",a members...
...give them financial support and must .not undertake any work properly belonging to a political group...
...SWEDISH UNIONS CONTINUE TO GROW Reports from the' Swedish Federation of Labor show that the unions in Sweden continued to grow rapidly last year, the total membership on Dec 11, 1C23, being 3S4.C17, a sain of 24,280 ever the same date t>f 19:4...
...the r.allwuymen with 34,372...
...following paragraphs...
...James M. Lynch, the present incumbent of the president's office, received 27,145 votes, and Charles P. Howard of Chicago, his opponent, 29,351, a majority of about 3,000...
...Then the convention declared itself to-be in principle In favor of an international conference to ' discuss* the question of a single unified trade union International...
...The runaway shop Is one of the evils of the industry in times of'peace as weH as of war...
...the road was open to unity: The -new administration with headquarters at Syra...
...Shipley, Floyd Dell aad E. Ralph Cheney, awarded Miss Mansfield the £10* prise this week for her poem, "The Mountain Dwellers...
...Much attention was devoted by the Congress to future propaganda work, which is to be done In the ' local branches with the assistance of the national leaders...
...The conference decided to exclude the newspapermen on the ground that, they were Inaccurate, irresponsible, and of the capitalistic press...
...John T. Elliott was moat energetic in bringing this about...
...The upshot wae that* the' two groups united...
...According to press reports, the Amalgamation Conference decided to appoint a Joint committee, upon whfch Weisbord is represented, to meet on- June 19 to arrange for a second conference...
...But he had become a very sick man and at the special convention which he had called at Baffalo in March, 1898, he Insisted upon withdrawing from office...
...The administration machine, however, won the day...
...tp affiliate without delay...
...In the end the spilt became unbearable...
...The Passaic United Front Committee will have to .choose between entering a dual organisation, with the possibility of Increasing the difficulties of affiliating with the A. F. of L., or waiting until It can join the United Textile Workers, the bona fide A. F. of L. union...
...of New York, led by Leon H. Rouse...
...More than seven hundred poets from all over the country and a number, abroad entered poems.in the competition...
...Louis become General President, and Fank Heenan of Chicago...
...brotherhood were to vote upon a slate of officers named by...
...Our readers will, therefore, have to be con...
...Then coma the Factory Wtorkers with 43.252...
...The present 'decision of Justice Geaung, while net flnal.gfonfirms the constitutionality of the Taw...
...Then a split occurred within the ranks of the Baltimore ssmttd**W* .vtnV...
...In accordance with the action of the Toronto convention of the I. T. U. in August, 1924, a proposition was submitted to a referendum vote of the membership to require every member to pay a minimum of $1 per month to the pension and mortuary assessments, in addition to the per capita tax of SO cents...
...1 As the trade- union headquarters In Stockholm had long been too small for the needs of the orjanlzafieo...
...There was no one who was willing to replace hien...
...They, therefor*, proceeded—and It appears Illegally— to call a special confjosttcn to meet In Cleveland In December, 1894...
...THE PREVAILING RATE OF WAGES A decision of much interest to building workers employed by the city or . by contractors engaged on public works has Just been rendered by Justice George bV Geaung in the Municipal Court of the City of New York...
...One thing la certain, however...
...The opposition succeeded In gaining a majority vote for the removal of the general - office to Ht Louis and the establishment of a scettered-heard system...
...While It is unfortunate .that the whole matter should have . been carried Into the courts, the election of Howard is a vindication of the Progressives' position...
...Upon his refusal to join their conspiracy they opened a venomous attack upon him and the St...
...The representatives of the Federated Textile Unions of America Immediately objected: They were jealous ft their prerogatives...
...furthering the activities of tt** ¦¦iMSl in these countries, it was decided to associate the union* affiliated wtth th* "1...
...The McKtaneyttes...
...a magazine of verse...
...took up the gauntlet...
...near the oil headquarters and had It reconstructed...
...president of the Social Democratic Pary, who waa expelled from the General Council when Communist influence was at Its height, was elected chairman of that body...
...She has contributed poems to Atlantic, Poetry, The New Republic, Bookman, the Saturday Literary Review and other periodicals...
...The member* affiliated* with each...
...Another attempt Immediately afterward .at forming a national organization also failed on account of the position taken by the New Yorkers...
...yen then the dispute would not have been settled, for Elliott was Just *s resolute as ever;*and he, was skilful enough a politician to- continue his hold on a sufficient number of the...
...It was granted the authority to Issue charters and call together an initial meeting to take place in Baltimore on March IS of the same year...
...matter waa bandied hack and forth Bet weed ' sessions of the annual convention and the Executive Council of the A. F.-of L. In all cases Elliott, who was f riendPr with the Federation, officials, was sustained...
...on increase in deposits during 1925 of 8,000,000 schilling* (at . 14c each),'bringing the total on Dec...
...In the referendum that followed the La Fayette faction won on every count...
...By the terms o{ a referendum submitted to the general membership of both -factlo»» a peace conference was held at Washington, D. c, in June, ISM...
...Each of...
...As the factions fought for representation fen city central bodies, labor organisations began to divide on the question...
...New York and the Rockies, produced the idea of 'The Mountain Dwellers,'" Miss Mansfield says...
...by photo-engraving typewritten pages...
...i " "The fusion In my mind of the two environments...
...the tiuipose of purchasing a milk research plant located there and transforming tt' into several inanuferturtng' units cap*bte Of employing tSfem SVe hundred and sbt hupdred cloak and suit workers...
...Many friends could not yet ally themselves openly because of the antagonism of the Knights of Labor...
...In January, ISO*, ill health forced him to retire permanently***^wo years later death removed him as * disturbing factor...
...la vain did McKmney try to negotiate a settlement aad falling, set up Bis beadquarters at La Fayette,, Indiana, to accordance with a referendum vote of the members...
...It was, therefore, with much anxiety ¦set ^^^St^^^^SSjii slsi^S*) desire to leave Bis homo to p*Jt*merc...
...which CO pears in the Chatterbox column on page 10 of this issue...
...There Is much basis for this suggestion, tor already European printers have been seriously disturbed by the experiments with setting up type through photography...
...y ' At the otoeo of this Buffalo convention, Elliott end his ?oBewors taistuaed aad decided not to "relinquish -their control over , the 'generdl office...
...Welsbord's motion waa not entertained...
...Little thought was taken of the...
...declaring that they were ready to give up office, agreed to meet at the same time and place...
...Then, too, all members of the Workers' Party present, who were vouched for, were potential worker correspondents, according to Communist practice...
...Fun resort* on'thh situation H^*sh transport Worker* Iff Ohe*9agloXh etmW tries were gtveh and with a view ta...
...the National Center has purchased a.palatial building...
...Feeling that an injustice hadbeen done by this machine-controlled convention, "Blx Six" decided by a vote of its members to go into the courts to obtain an injunction re¦ straining President Lynch and Secretary-Treasurer John W. Hays from collecting the Increased assessment...
...Mattl Paasivuori...
...For three years she was business manager of "Poetry...
...and so he was once more re-elected...
...The benef h* the necessity for national unions drawing haps their feM local bodies of the same craft grew apace...
...T. F: in a BsBntn Conference...
...This is a federation consisting of the American Federation' of Textile Operatives, the International Mule Spinners' Association, the Amalgamated Lace Operatives, the Tapestry and Carpet Workers' Union and the Knit Goods Workers of Philadelphia...
...AUSTRIAN LABOR BANK MAKES GREAT PROGRESS The Austrian Labor Bank Is inakbsg good at Just as rapid a pace as Ha sister Institution in Germany...
...It centered around a question of finance...
...adopted at the very beginning of Its existence, had to fall in line...
...t . FIMMEN INVESTIGATES j BALKAN CONDITIONS Directly after attending the Balks* Trade - Union Conference in Sofia "is April as 'a representative of the Interaatienal Transport Workers Federation, Edo Flmmen, General Werielsry of that organisation, had aa Inlet ilea with representatives of the railway men's unions *f Bulgaria aad Orsees and th* Dockers' Unlaw ef Russpna...
...DANISH GENERAL COUNCIL IN SESSION Reports presented to the 1*6 members of the General Council of the Danish Federation of Labor at their It add U showed that there bed she* a gasp of I.iSl by the fifty usissdjM the Pederatioa tost year...
...The leader behind this move wa* a painter in New York City by the name of John T. Elliott...
...Under the rules, J. O. Bental, correspondent of the Dally Worker, was vouched for as a visitor, which he also was...
...That newspaper reports that a number of manufacturers have been la MMdletown recently with...
...members to make the position of the La Fayette group insecure...
...McKinaey was *a*mm* Ja> Ma ptoee...
...The first united convention look place at Detroit in 1901...
...In the ensuing discussion the chairman even ruled that this gathering was merely an extension of the sessions of the Executive Comir.ittee of the Federated Textile Unions of America...
...A strike Increases the number of out-of-town establishments...
...Several' cases arising under this labor law leave been favorable to labor...
...th* eoagtltutlesi ' tn Cr*W te s4r the chaXgss...
...The battle was now on In earnest...
...All in all the "Frogs," as they are called, captured eight positions, and the Administration six...
...1925...
...The Baltimore clique had the advantage In that they eontrolled the funds...
...Frank Campbell, a painter employed by the Department of Plants and Structures, sued to recover 'from the city the sum of - 8595 as the difference between the wag** paid him and the prevailing rate of, wages between May, 1*23, and January...
...The General Council passed a resolution approving the...
...They had called the conference and they were to run it...
...The lithogrnphers have been forced to learn the new processes in oriler to 'maintain their Jobs, *hd have thus aroused the jurisdictional sensitiveness of the photoengravers...
...To be continued next week) , Victory of J|c^iippf fin T3^UMi6fe On Iissue of Finance The Field of Labor IF unofficial reports prove substantially cprrect...
...When the labor law of 1897...
...Americans will remember that during a recent printers' strike the "Literary Digest" was published...
...Tern factions thus cropped «p within the union...
...At the last convention, held at Kalamaioo, Mich., the delegates refused to reverse the council's action by a vote of' 179 to 102...
...Its president...
...This union was already taxing Its members an additional portion of their earnings to give them larger pension benef.ts...
...He had been active in advocating the formation of a national body of his craft, the first local union of which dated back to 1815...
...to a general meeting of the delegates of the co-opratlves controlling tt on April M, in Vienna, he waa able to...
...An executive board j of live was chosen from among the members of the Baltimore local as -the most convenient method of selection...
...Uatfjspp still .outside the Federation were b*g...
...It was this arrangement that was the Immediate cause for the split In the union ranks...
...j™A .. A...
...For the next few years the...
...Louis locals...
...Typographical Union - No...
...In spite of its grandiloquent title It consisted of but six unions—four in New York, one in Brooklyn snd another in Peterson, N.J...
...The high handedness of Elliot^ had its reaction, however...
...of Chicago, to help them in retaining headquarters at Baltimore...
...each side, the place for -headquarters and the constitution the brotherhood was to follow...
...At the same time Clarence Miller, anotlfer correspondent, was seated as a delegate from the United Front Committee of Passaic...
...N. Y„ was conciliatory...
...Little by little other unions Joined him...
...these organizations pays do .the parent body a per capita tax of one cent per member per month...
...provldng gar the prevailing rste( of wages lev -employes on public works, was declared on constitutional, an amendment was added to the State Constitution authorizing the Legislature to enact such legislation...
...He bad been paid a uniform rate of 89 a day, whereas the prevailing rate, which means the union scale, had been 810 for pert ot the period and 810.50 for the remainder...
...The Labor Beak was established three years ago...
...The whole, problem . requires a . farsighted policy which will tend te unify the printing crafts...
...The Inaugural conference took place aa planned...
...It is for this reason that progressive utterances were voiced by the International President in his writtnsa just preceding the election...
...She has engaged in newspaper work for about seven years.' coming to New Tork city to live last July...
...The I'a Inters became disorganised, their economic position suffered as a consequence and the number ot members declined...
...Still, efforts to work out a practical rather than a legalistic solution of the difficulties were never let up...
...They approached the newly elected president, J. W. McKinney...
...The threeJudges were so enthusiastic over the results of the competition and the fine poems it brought forth that De Witt has decided to continue the poetry competition as an annual feature of The New Leader...
...Two years later at the General Assembly in St...
...Louis the tables were turned...
...Paradoxically enough, visitors were permitted to remain if vouched for by one of the delegates...
...In addition, many had never forgiven him for resigning the presidency in 1914 in order to accept a political office in New -York, and -then returning two years ago, upon losing his position, to defeat Howard, who had succeeded the Progressive president, John MacParliind, upon the death of the latter...
...But gaiiott and his friends found this Unpalatable, for they had begun to look upon the union as a vested Interest .of theirs...
...Thlrty-flv* locals in dtSeredt parti of the country, ted by .John St...
...The latter have countered with the proposal to amalgamate both themselves'and the photo-engravers with all the printing trade workers...
...The work of, reconstruction had now to begin...
...Mis* Mansfield was born in Chicago...
...FJ had appointed a delegate to attend the meeting, but ho waa not allowed by the Yugoslav Government to leave the country...
...Tne?- three endures...
...fsct that the reporters present were all of the labor press— and those, most active in expelling them knew this...
...The local labor which is enlisted is difficult to unionize, and when, as in the case of Middfetewn, railroad connections are excellent, s-ruch damage Is done before the fugitives can be brought back...
...The banks* capitalization has been increased frear 500,000 to 1,088,000 schillings and *** a partner In a number of the piudaP five aad credit enffrptiscs ot the Sum trlan co-operatives...
...As a result of correspondence *mong organizations in various parts of the country Union No...
...The American Federation of Labor—of which Matthew Wtoll, president of the Photo-Engravers, is fifth vice-president—has directed th* graphic art workers of the lithographic Industry to Join tne International Photo-Engravers' Union, and the lithographic pressmen and feeders the International Printing Pressmen and Assistants' Union...
...This ia* practically tantamount to dissolving the Amalgamated Association of Lithographers...
...part ot the Administration...
...activities of the S^nlslatl Government, headed by Premier fftiia.' ins...
...The offices and" the funds remained In their control, and, theretore, members who did not wish to sacrifice the death, (Usability and wife funeral benefits, which the Brotherhood had...
Vol. 3 • June 1926 • No. 22
