THE STORY OF THE PAINTERS UNION
Silverstein, Louis
The Story of thePaintors Union The New York Painters (1914-26) *l *"• WHAT fi^^mx^Htrnm^Oft^^^'^' OS fas ajufiw " •**V^vTt»A*T*gr*'T jity'aajssjaaf *ji*ft eJJawaC & SroSoW ^...
...The small shop has been characteristic, and the very control of militant, unions has only Increased the tendency...
...The result has .been twofold: (1) the development of the business enterprise which markets the goods, and hss the actual labor performed la contract shops,* and (2) the working of the employer and his friends and relatives themselves...
...The union Insisted that "emergency" only referred to matters of life and health...
...It was npt until the spring of 191« that the sentiment' waa strong enough to warrant a united drive...
...m Finally, the moat serious asjastsejB confronting the painters ts tha rsshbgJB system, the pcaetloe ef emplaymguj^p d amandins < from their...
...to retire from office until the heat, of crlUciam aad • tha...
...One must listen and contemplate...
...The anion appealed to tbe Joint Trad* Board, which had been established by the ISM' agi aianant Thia waa a body consisting of equal number of representatives of the association and District Council Ma...
...an mdefatiaable member of the general strike' committee...
...The sch*aajtj| to follow thid up by organising aSSaI union shops and Jobs in a ayatenaTSH manner, to'order to facilitate maSaajB the Organ bring Committee hi te baSm power of aooeptine aaw-coafera .nam agree to pay their initiation fee sC-fijH ta weekly mattflhaawta Instead of koM lump sum .a* at' present...
...A. new feature waa also ttartrtttaawS For...
...He was confident that hi* absence would serve the lntsrsets ot the...
...In New Jersey organisation work is making fair progress...
...wrakdt tuspjn)tiOt\ t* be atxts Sonars at tha time...
...This IMS strike went down In history as the "40-40** strike, for the men had demanded and won' fortyhours per weak- of work' and feJHLy sailars.In wages- -< ;'* -. Brindell " : - On tlM.Scsaaa 1 " Helped by the war boom, the union, along with all others In tbe building trades, was able to gain another dollar Increase in wagee on May 1. 1920, making the day rate IS...
...This severance: of relations had a telling select i on subsequent events...
...IncruaWisJ Slump ^ Hits Union , . . ' Even these scabs, however, might have been ineffective in injuring the Brotherhood painters to their struggle, had...
...To this very day, however, -both bodies exist Side by side...
...Tbe union la doing excellent work under most difficult circumstances...
...Cm March 29, 1921...
...Organisation work among the nonunionists was aided by 'lowering the initiation fee from twenty-five dollars to almost, ten and granting amnesty to those who had fallen out 'of membership on account of fines imposed...
...The Independent employers, of course, submitted to the union** terms with little reHljttAnCA...
...In August, 1920, District Council No...
...Talk to them, of "sweat shops" and they hurst into a pandemonium of appreciation...
...At the sum thaw imsertant galas to Working conditions and fat control over non-union, materiel aad men ware sacrificed...
...It will bring to the fore the necessity for control of the slippery jobbers, and for a guaranteed period of employment...
...Th* summer season, about to beam, brines its Inevitable clash between employers and employee...
...The painters, naturally, belong to the- official Council...
...Needle - Irades in-Ferment The Field ot Labor (V^HX needls trades now tsks tbe ; I , central1 position of interest in ¦ ~" the labor movement of Now Tork ;s|aj snd, for that matter, in the country...
...In Indianapolis the union has been stumped by an injunction preventing a strike, under penalty of contempt of court...
...It prop ones' to- caB a'eanSBj stodpage ta tha latter part of Aas9H or early ta September ef this yasf3 register all Its members and SaaE places ot employmsctt...
...This document also -gave conclusive testimony as ta She argent need for the five-day week for painters...
...control of mtoorml of thtnr WHEN the Internatienai Pain tan and...
...Its thirty odd employers-controlled twenty i to twenty-five per cent, of...
...This is mine I"—Henry George...
...In the case of some shops they were successful by merely voicing their demands emphatically...
...She ¦*( isamil was "a voomplets vtetoVy for...
...Increases: through negotiations...
...comers to that of the old Brotherhood members...
...r has.made has been duo to the- ceaseless efforts ptj ttn Secretary...
...The causa waa-the unwarranted discharge of several union painters by the Bernard Brlndse Company, engaged to work oa a church being constructed at Seventy-second street aad Broadway...
...Mere wages and hours are not involved, although the fortyhour week is bound to be a big talking point...
...epoji hroaght tbV news off tb*'se*tlaaTi*a* M U>e anxious patotera...
...day—It ta previded that*aM^S...
...just - before -the spring seasoq.was,to est under way...
...It causaK that its agreements asset the laJrgJ&H of .the sftuatioav . ' ¦ - *i^M The existence ef the T il n inllajM Progressive Alteration- Painters nx'St symptom...
...There, was even' declared, for the first and only time to the relationship of the Association with District Council No...
...The business of the unions has been to control the - contractera and...
...Bomt S-Wtwaariaai, <thep *argnns^^^unu^o^k\% raiilaW imfknmnsnjr...
...spirit of factionalism -had spent tbemselvea...
...442 for...
...They, then, could receive wages ot %t par day aad work for forty-lour hours a week...
...Bajss haps tt- will ha pceadbie to work, afl some phut of haranooy...
...Consequently, the union issued an ultimatum giving the Brlndse Company twenty-four hours In which to come to terms...
...The result very SMpt Is either inhuman ruahlng or the ajsevajl' acceptance of a lower than the ntfttm mum- rate per day...
...On June 1, 191*, an agreement with the Association of Master Painters and Decorators of the City and County of Now Tork was signed...
...It was a great, victory for-the union, imbued with the militancy- that - tbe new members had introduced...
...The closing of offices on Saturday during .the hot months is becoming increasingly more prevalent...
...Oa January 19...
...In Philadelphia the Mitten interests, with their "collective bargaining and co-operative welfare" plan, are being exposed...
...Subsequently the A. F. of I* repudiated the- Building ' Trades Council and chartered a new* one...
...The protests of the, painters to the A. F. Of it...
...The Story of thePaintors Union The New York Painters (1914-26) *l *"• WHAT fi^^mx^Htrnm^Oft^^^'^' OS fas ajufiw " •**V^vTt»A*T*gr*'T jity'aajssjaaf *ji*ft eJJawaC & SroSoW ^ ^-,2WsbaWPa*d^f« Bag founded* BaZW.is /MJ.' (uUtmUr mm John T. Ethott, fommig of Now Yori...
...tsn&k J i * its i b'i r, aajaaaV . Jlfji-'^ S-»*u^ytsW...
...The e*hrw.bsavM& trades...
...reaTiae'ChS *mM mmparaa^^sffl^avwL Ati^e»ca mr^m^rL*^^^^^ aa^sertrlal was^alsW: 'The*'wdrnfna...
...And thereby hangs a tale...
...It was sot amy tU EBiott had retired-on account of tfl Wfl that the two faction* could unit* in T90I*' Tha Brotherhood now met out to bring saw its ranks the independent painters' anions that had sprung up in various potto of the coantrp...
...making the minimum wage $10...
...Wi McKmne^ with headquarters at LtrfmaoUe, Indiana...
...That it is legal law I grant, but nothing more.—Fennimore Cooper...
...dlfflculttes...
...19tt,- Sanar nor was re-called to bis old post...
...They were helped somewhat by the exposure of Brindell by the Now Tork Lockwood Legislative Investigation Committee...
...1, and had It admitted to .his council, despite the fact that it had not been chartered by tha A. F. of X* Persons could join the new union upon .payment of 15...
...In others, strikes were necessary...
...Since 1928 the union haa retained what' itjhaa' won and gained wage...
...A food soon ardfts out between EBkUt and kit successor...
...a settlement was reached...
...WATCH THE MOTERIEN AND CONDUCTORS...
...In New Tork city the subway company's union made a slight demand for increased wages, and at the last moment...
...This has not bean true in the wearing apparel trades...
...The motormen and conductors are especially afflicted with the company union evil, but they are making inroads here and there...
...organised petoten ot New Tork city are faced with several, serious problems at the present moment...
...And very great' con inland over the services of othsrs comes to these who, aa the hatches are opened, are permitted to say...
...Brindell .organised a "scab organisation known as the Painters, Decorators and Paperhangers* Union, No...
...then, from June 1, 1918...
...On (he first of May of that year a general strike order was issued...
...The union has . replied by bringing, suit against the "city's officials, including its chief of police, for 1230,000 damages for false arrest ot its organisers...
...Each refuses to permit members ot another district" council to tava&s Its territorial '*• jurisdiction.' ReceaUy, District Council No...
...It Is within the limits of accomplishment, especially In those Shops 'that tab uufirn already controls.* Organisation work hi quietly and steadily proceeding...
...union best...
...Instead, District CoirncU BajQ is laying plans ot Its own to ocasaJsH ! the alteration and maintenance pajgSB era...
...It ie a well-provisioned ship) this on which we sail through space...
...On September 2 the inevitable strike broke out...
...SWnSetf hoped tt gather -about him **walWng delegatee" laouaiislBlii to no-one but himself, tt was when .the workers ia th* bundtag trades wee* beoomtng - dkagenrosly restless that Brindell caned a confereaee with' Ufe Bultdtog Trades Employers' Association and arranged tor "a voluntary increase" .of oae dollar par day...
...Particularly is this tswayd^ aaw hntidings, where saaaasSBSjLffiB apt to be the haottva for I Mmmjf" rather than peruwnant l^rooWtj£^^ This evil cannot be eradicatednSMC'.*^ the empiorar host Use rbrbt tokSJMgff Sra,„fp» whS* *ha'wnsW b>£K« stent dread ot Sada*/ ^Mta^HrP...
...the agreement, but when this opportunity arose it responded by declaring a general strike, demanding- a two dollar lump in day wages...
...of America are - forcing tbemselvea continuously upon oar attention...
...On May SI, 1917, the old rate of I5 was continued for a year...
...Can you tell me, stranger, where ths law or the rseson ie to be found which eaye that one man shall hsvs a section, or a town, or perhah* a"country to his uss, and another have to beg 'for earth to moke hie -grave inf Thia ie not nature, and I deny that it ie social law...
...Along with the plumbers and the plasterers they were expelled from BrindelTs | Building Trades Council...
...require " work Saturday -forenoon to case ef emergtaneleai »tThln latter provision led to...
...It hi the kind of demand that will make an appeal to "white collar" workers...
...The Brotherhood aaanjP i have refused to recognise its laaSMJ I maey...
...enuSsasaiE greater and greater quantiUee ef SSmB dnetsoo...
...while the Brother hood 1 Painters had bean" aWjoymg a at Sage...
...Decorators consolidated with the Brotherhood.'in ISM the now .united New Tork painters bent .their efforts . to complete the...
...consent, ho had act up a set of laws' to maintain himself in power...
...The needle'trades workers deserve and have our support...
...Contrary to the rules of the Building Trades Department, of the American Federation of Labor, but wtth their tacit...
...lie had declared that dele-' gates to...
...We wish them a mighty victory...
...Philip Zauaner...
...He.entered the Brotherhood In 1914...
...During the Strike of 1916 he was...
...Whfle origtnally MisS ahptod at e»Bfutbetaii.ed men of ttt aWdisSraSle^Tyaa, st la caalmed thatffl taeTsty 9hls aiaatafit hardly sxista...
...This Is a wise and practical move...
...several months...
...Nevertheless' - its members all employed union' men, about-one-half of them even •observing the "closed shop...
...aa an active member of the, Int^rnatlohal Painters and Paperhangers...
...The alteration painters began to demand the four dollar wage...
...It was more significant, however, that the .'association signed an agreement at aU...
...B^Manhattan, the Bronx, and Richmond), hah agreed with District Council- No...
...Thomas McMurray bets the office of secretary...
...j ,-.ri*Majye9Wgf^ .±n I SSy *kw\V...
...watt4 its aettvllS are highly cesrtrallsed...
...to December 11, .1918, it was Increased to 15.50...
...9 ef the Brotherhood...
...It Is a natural consequence of the tradition, of the needle trades that the workers have a Concern in the industry aad that, tt they do not take steps themselves to eradicate the roots of the evils that oppress them, then their employees will not bo moved by profit considerations to, do so themselves...
...In Brooklyn building is a highly speculative business and it has made the District Council there develop- a catch-as*av jtS^s,-*-"^ - -v^^-^nwavsaarfsrs^ .-b, Ua*V?s...
...stVW*TrVaT^|SBBa* , 'i./wf*' * T '• StiU Ahaaul Tha...
...Within a month the employers had been brought to .terms...
...It Is the .hour of fate that those very unions which hare been the stronghold of Socialism and have had a reputation for Aa intelligent rank and file have been •confronted with an Industrial situation that contradicts dogmatic Marxian theory and calls for.a solution which the officials have had the hardest time la making clear to the members and hi- exciting- their emotions and imagination...
...He, then, returned to the trade...
...The an depenOent untoo on ita own aeosfjjH also announces an organisation eajj paign- This nteans a dupUcatisn^E effort and a source- of friction...
...The response was magnificent...
...tJntptu, He served aa si special buainees 'agent for local* 1011 and...
...9, of the Painters, insisted that those who were not business agents were eligible to be delegates, that a term of.one year of office was 4egal and mere democratic, and that they 'could' to any salary- they ptoaand...
...One Judge has already issued a temporary restraining order against the persons accused by the Amalgamated Association...
...THE OmCE-WORKERS' WEEK-END The Bookkeepers, Stenographers and Accountants' Union of New York city announces that It has added to ita program of establishing tbe check-oft the additional demand of establishing the five-day week during the summer months for office workers...
...The wage rate became tl par day aad tha number of days of work per- week five...
...especially among the motormen, are biding their time...
...Receiving a per capita tax of 26 cents per member per jnogdh, ffasy finance the organisation work and office expenses of the component locals...
...the day rata- became 110.60...
...1924...
...It was one of the most gruelling experiences in the history of the New Tork painters...
...authorities were in vain...
...It' was important enough that' an increase .in wages of one dollar a day, making the minimum five dollars, waa obtained...
...In February negotiations, were resumed...
...Jams* Bwth ita secbaJaS ;tt'has.ene-eSSea ta ManhattaaTvM another to Brejoktyn...
...Hehas remalaed at tt stoce...
...2* (Queens "and Riehmond> to - recognise each other's working cards and make a_ united effort to eliminate the use of non-union material aad the employment ot nonunion-men...
...It was the usual union procedure In the case ot an organisation campaign...
...First it is New Tork city, then it is serosa the river in New Jersey, then Philadelphia, -and now Indianapolis...
...the tmioa...
...Employers ' ¦• • j " Break Pact f - » ~ . Negotiations followed thereafter...
...the association -had to^ surrender...
...At the Montreal convention of th* Brotherhood last year No...
...The International Pakttera, controlling the alteration Job*, bad been working at 12-28 per day...
...The unions of District Council No...
...the council might be none other than business agents,' that their unions would have to guarantee their term of office for three years, and that their salaries would have to be seventy-five dollars...
...Their struggle became a defensive bob ' to maintain the conditions which they were already enjoying...
...Nobody had taken...
...The ti> a day vaage rate was continued, but in the case of the five-day week a concession had to .be granted...
...He had organised the New Tork Building Trades Council, with himself' as president...
...eliminate the self employed---In' recent years the realisation hss grown that the irresponsible jobber, as he is known in the todies* garment industry,' is the key SB the situation...
...TM Hi, however, Wbrtmxhr danied by jB DatUkt CsunaB* Harry RIsack mSU pfldSiat...
...however, atQl look upsa jfeP limitation at tha right to fire as'-SMfc shevlsUo" and the asdatars cannc^Jh^g to wag* the battia SJone aad wbk.i-'fl apmarkers to Strike Amalgamated Preparing...
...For a year beginning July 1, 1921, while be returned to work at the trade...
...th* new construction work to th* city...
...on April SO, 1925, this waa renewed and on March 8.192S, the present wage of $12 per day was established...
...the aasoctafbw...
...then In December, 1915, was elected business agent for one year...
...The strike of the garment workers and, to a less extent, that of the hat and cap makers will be educational...
...Robert P. Brindell, oxar of the building trades, enters upon the scene...
...S. that "a sympathetic strike shall not be considered a violation of thia agreement...
...9. after a special election -held under the auspices of the Brotherhood...
...An attempt .to.break the strike by Judicial action failed, because an injunction-was denied the association...
...29 (Brooklyn...
...An election in June, 1918...
...9 presented, demands to" the employers Tor ' another* increase of;, at doner per day...
...These are industrial ' problems of a larger nature...
...S svbmtted -a phup eatendina* the- same arrangements to District Council No...
...Previously only the Independents had had this clause In their agreements...
...During the months approaching the buoy spring season negotiations dragged along in the accustomed manner until - a new: agreemeat want Into effect oa April 1. BUS, which established tha ft per day rati for the remainder of tha year...
...If the bread and beef above decks seem to grow scarce, we but open e hatch snd there is a new eapply of which before we never dreamed...
...Jury...
...The Summer .was well an flat ^Why when suddenly hostilities brake fort* again...
...the first time a act of health rwJas were embodied ta the agieement...
...The report of the Oovernor's Commission recognised this amAt the present time In New York city the cloak and suit workers have gone out on strike, the hat and cap onion officials hare been authorized to call a strike, when they deem it most expedient, and the Amalgamated Clothing Workers is fanning a series of demands for the men's clothing industry which will insure stricter control over the registration of contractors...
...The union had been intending to ask for increases at the expiration of...
...June 30, decided to behave...
...The rate dt'SS per'day, boWerer, was a balm to the rebellious workers...
...problem, then, was to raise the* level of pay 'of the new...
...f914* **•» sst admitted to mm AF- M Ummnini** Th.K entered th* Brathymodt local* Os WitaUl asaf seat...
...With the approach of the September-October painting season (blessed be moving day...
...Tbe-general strike of 1916 compelled them to do So...
...Y.**<*±r>- 4 >n«^si*saaus« - .< ^^^^^^^^^^^ '^g^awf " ^9^^ *%uraTf aval taw Uatea was ore^uassalB tSb tend* ta'IBSa;' M baa been tSjV . aaaVd "ay the fhUsef New Jerk sjjMj AJWO-L MSS...
...Brindell remained enthroned...
...it win he recalled, are the executive authorities in their respective territories...
...it cisJaaffl ntembershJp today wf aSoot ueg |jB good attawding, the largest raefm groope among thsta being Jawa^B •ardpasyerai »istatiltstitng a rats af SfjjM far laasaa palatars apd f 14 per day iflj With work optioeaU tuv Saturdays.^ th* prohibition ef She discharge «fB worker daring rher eaatteuaaca-^at^H jab after aaa day at trial...
...The Trade Board upheld the union's contentions, but tbe Brlndse Company refused to comply with the decision...
...v *~*£fsf * *- wMea• ^-' > -'»rfomr" sr&i oosf -i-f '*»- /' •' -^h ¦a»«<«^r**» ¦sa,'11**^-4*Wi-ji»n:»--: N«> *aW'-TMe^ A *u- i'i Sw a vy?«k -aa eyi V<Braa»i wSsstiia t^g%agessrt^ojng4*l '^**sr vd^w-Jl mm ii la^^S^ay ssswSS eSaaa^a*w^:^s5 waaV^'^r'aairrn^^ wad...
...Tbe hitch has been in inducing the Brooklyn organisation to agree, as tbe others - are willing, to furnish' a hoed (of fifteen, hundred dollars to be forfeited for noncompliance with the agreement...
...They received terms hardly any better than the weaker Independent "bosses...
...Tha strongest of these, the Amalgamated Association of Point...
...The Association backed up Brindell...
...occur before fifteen ndcutsa- efinKt*^ ting tlpie—he has wo sitarnatlveV to keep up with fas paea set by |K: workers who are...
...Employers were permitted to...
...The tragedy of the situation is that the workers cannot respond with great warmth to sold analyses of the evils of their industry...
...It is not a subject for cheering,' hat throwing and applause...
...baaed upon the famous Health Report prepared by the newly-founded* Worker a' Health Bureau...
...acepunt^of^Jn^peniUasLdara^c^d...
...Much of the advance that District Council 'No...
...The association replied by declaring a lockout on August IS, 1919...
...Ths years 1920-n hit all eskt*gs asry hard and: prevented, (the -paihUera front accomplishing . their- purposes...
...formal unification...
...Tbe local union officials are being enlisted in' approaching office-workers in families of union men and worribc^- The five-day week should go a long way in arousing Interest in the bookkeepers' union...
...The first is one ef unifying the t**ee district councils that have Jurisdiction In Greater New Tork.' The district eouncila...
...v According to all rules of prophecy the cloth trig industry should have developed larger and larger units of production 'with an -ever-Increasing concentration of capital...
...The agreement.of October M, 1919, made the members of this proud organ las - tton bite the duet...
...industrial conditions turned for'the wane...
...Negotiations a»e new being conducted...
...The association brought no' pressure* to bear upon its recalcitrant members to live up to the rules ot the agreements...
...to be nullified oa account of, Irregularities- Following the dlaeouraelng strike of 1921, he deemed It wbn...
...The Amalgamated Association oi Street and Electric Railway Employee...
...given a ¦muuum*t^mj( speeding up...
...There* tbe small amount of eapi'tal required to set up in business aad the presence of short busy seasons duo to, demands,, of (weather and Style, have throb™, theory helter-skelter...
...On August S. 1918, he was Installed as .secretary of District Council No...
...The union men...
...A campaign of education was undertaken...
...Tt was a powerful organisation and'for the dozen years preceding'' this strike, since the days when It broke the back of the Amalgamated Painters, it had refused to - sign any formal agreements with the union...
...The association, however, as a body never recognised .the Brotherhood...
Vol. 3 • July 1926 • No. 25
