CASUALTIES OF INDUSTRY
Morrison, Frank
Casualties of Industry How to Win Safety For the Workers By Frank Morrison Secretary, American Federation of Labor (An address before th* Induetrisl Safety Congress in Washington) INDUSTRIAL...
...The United States Bureau pf Mine* began it* experiments with rock dusting prior - to 1911, demonstrated the high qualities of this method for the prevention of explosions and has urged its universal adoption by mining companies in the United States as an effective method to save the Uvea of coal minora What has been the net result of this urging 7 In a. bulletin entitled "Stone Dusting or Rock Dusting to Prevent Coal-Dust Explosions, as Practiced in Great Britain and France," the Bureau says: - Operator* Keep Mines Unsafe "¦Although th* Bureau of Mines has recommended rock dusting, only a few operators in the United States, one ia Colorado and several to Illinois, have adopted it, and they but to a limited extent...
...This ha* aroused the India*-*, nation even of old-line conservative' tabor leaders...
...Competent experts declare that rock dusting is a weU-known, thoroughly tested and adequate method of preventing coal'dust explosions...
...An Illustration from' on* industry— the coal mining industry—will throw a flood of light on the responsibility of employer* and ¦ Stat* government...
...tota, and tho Oeoraafetet Unite asfM from th* centtauott* coadsoatio as...
...TOM Infrequent assemblies of th* tatter are called by the union official*, and a* a rule the proceedings are confined to the reading by one of the leaders of a report of the unwn's activities and ft* unanimous acceptance without discussion...
...But, an equally unnecessary slaughter and hxtaay a* hqgjan b*tajt*<i*ma gaged.In industry doe* not bring a nationwide protest, aad tho responsible industrial 'and political authorities keep up their deadly warfare against th* workers...
...From th* moment that private possession le -the mesne of production arose, exploitation and th* division of society Into tw* hostile nlsoa**, standing sftpobsil to sash other through thsir Interests, also bea«n_Wilh*lm Liebknecht...
...Not only Individual citizens, but the public, press and social, civic, industrial and religious organisations should continuously point- out the evil consequence* that follow our disregard for human life on the industrial field...
...Thus, only members of the Fascist unions will hav.e political" rights, and not even all of tbem, for members are divided into two-categories, according to their political reliability: Op* category may hold official.posts, while the other la nothing but a kind of ballast and may only pay contrlbutlona,' "After what-h*» been said, one can easily imagine What to left of oar party organisation...
...N.Y...
...BOOiaLUNDQlS TO HAVE WTQUiATIONAL FOND At th* sixth conference of the totsag national Bookbtoders* Feder*tton,*b*fj...
...ssnghasUs *ne alleged deiintuendte...
...arranging a conference with, officials to talk things over...
...351 was formed,' consisting of all local assemblies of the metal polishing crafts...
...It demands nothing...
...to "the official call for this conference, the Secretary of Labor also .asserts that his experts advise him that "fuOy 85 par cent of the** accidents are preventable...
...Some progress has been made in rock dusting since, then, but the fact remains that (in the United States today large numbers of miners are subjected to the dangers of explosions because the mining companies refuse to accept the recommendations of the Bureau of Mines aad install rock dusting systems...
...Avanti, organ of th* Msilisafi...
...Whether, an accident results In a temporary or permanent disability, It is the worker who suffers—and suffers to a degree for which the benefits of workers' compensation law* do not at all compensate...
...The sppeO*«lc»;-,flff/fikrfis' at headquarters announcing the presence of interpreters in Spanish and Italian was symbolical...
...It seeks favors...
...Tho latter discovered that the skill upon which they had counted in winning their strike could be copied—even If badly— by scabs, aided by modern safety devices...
...Dispute* between Capital and Lafcse have been istoiiod to a Labor Court appointed by' the government...
...In New Jersey, we find the best example bf the importance, and awakening of the less skilled workers...
...After- tho- dtag'*1 OTiii faros of the trial at Oritotl the final vUlgcation of Mattoetf...
...In the New York subway strike, for Instance, the company waa Just as frightened by the walk-out of the "black gang.v the oilers and fire tenders In the power houses, as by that of the motormen and switchmen...
...The MStal Polishers' International Union is celebrating this month its thirtieth annual...
...Or, evpieaeiiig th* facts In th* form of daily mortality and casualty figures, 44 workers are needlessly killed in industry during geusWdly the :.forty-fb4.*ft# jb*cjkTh* union baa bean active la ssanring th* psspags of taws .guaranteeing healthful BsnlHHsns of work for...
...There is no s parse Aess of population to, make Vtn certain the meaning of "locality," as In Oklahoma, and th* courts of New York State have oa various occasion* defined tho expressions "prevailing rate of wages" and "locality...
...Th*- result is that only about 18 per coat of th* trad* 1* organised...
...The" Chamber Is to be abolished . altogether...
...To * grekt extent th* responsibility for industrial accidents in other injustices rests with th* employers who refuse to adopt up-to-date accident prevention...
...The' effect of this educational activity will reach beyond the field of industry and wfll interest America in developing a higher, long-lived standard of manhood...
...They must be supported by a united people, who must Insist that' not only the letter of the law, but likewise the spirit shall be compiled with...
...then tn*t parson mast b» prepared for th* utmost in treatment...
...si lsiqairi80H.sk >*l Italian Workers Continue Fight on Fascist Rule In Face of Hardships Labor Doing Abroad t^^g*5emT i^'ta^^S^w^'as ¦m-p j.'ih *tjjsll*f' Vjl ITll I^VP^ asm Labor tatsrnaikmal...
...This waa ta 1094...
...n toheyso haep.ftgl j >*lia:*l^.***'t*"^''W^1" * '' 1 every on* of tho 100 working day* of th* year and 7,080 are needlessly injured...
...in Copenhagen June 7 to 9, aad **y tended by twenty-one delegates Msg thirteen organisation* in a dozen comae tries...
...5M8f freely tavishad on smployar...
...National Trades Assembly No...
...They .have to make a return of thofar membership to thyS police, but any function ta rendered impossible to them, stao* they are not allowed to hold m— ting...
...This development, in truth, is the foundation for' the successful application of remedial legislation- If our democracy is to function we cannot s^(gnrcbWg«s of suoj^sss^lnmehar*eter.to...
...In th* last ten years mots than 26,000 miners have' been killed in coal mine explosion* in the United States...
...oW7<^is4^^p)ss*»fl|flvps...
...Ui* estimate means that every year 19,560 workers are needlessly killed and t,ll*OO0 needlessly injured fit Industrial accidents...
...by State Supreme Court Jostle* Jeremiah T. Mahonsy...
...it Is again the worker-and bis family dependent* who pay for the great toss...
...It may be refused't* tho** who have not proved th sin scire* faithful adherents of th* •National Party.' Thus the Fascist Stat* boadamns Its opponents to starvation...
...aad formed, the present Metal Polishers' International Union...
...THE METAL POLISHERS IN RETROSPECT Anniversaries are always in order...
...NEW BATHE LINE It is th* irony of fat* that th* restriction of immigration which was demanded by the skilled aristocracy of American labor to avoid competition from new arrivals and consented to by the capitalists In order to lid themselves of the foreign, and, ae they thought, radical working men, should have worked out contrary to expectations...
...wta net tuffica, fa "th* *v*nt of tho tadutaitol crisis being aosmtustsd...
...His earning capacity Is not decreased...
...The City does not even Intend to est aside fund* that win be do* underpaid workers ta case th...
...Though the membership card of th* unions I* Indispensable far anybody who to ta **W«sy W»tastk>*CsafJ'>esLtl9«Juss?ms already stated...
...f "But th* legal r«gutattoa* of tat unions fornr th* moot tsrrlbl* tastrumsnt for'the throttling sf too working rlaases, Th* now 1*W forbids atrtkss under penalty .of tarprtosamsnt...
...Until the'workers assert their own oras*lmrtisiiwnr for sili 'Idsjjg^l1'11111 11 111 ror'themselves they wtUswrjoTeOmy continue to pay the price In both fatal and non-fatal' accidents...
...Louts F. Budens, a resident of that state aad editor of "Labor Age," describes the situation in the July number of his magaslne from an Intimate knowledge of the facts...
...Nevertheless, the Corporation Counsel does'net intend to baVe th* matter rest there...
...the conafaj it Is s**Bcient to" b*'found with fh* tosenbertblp card, of qur party, to b* **en with other Comrade« or to be seen 'greeting oa* on hla way through, ta order -te be thrashed, driven away, or' to ss* one's dwelling destroyed ¦ and plundered...
...if the United States were at war and th* reports from th* front, declared, that every day 77 soldiers ware killed, 04 of whose lives could have been saved-with proper military safeguards, and that 8,811 soldiers were wounded every *day...
...To th* extent that" It fat not compulsory th* Stat* legislatures are responsible for the death of miners In mine explosions...
...The New York City legal talent will have to move into the great deserts of the Far West in order to place the New York . State statute within the scope of Justice Sutherland'* decision...
...If possible, thwart th* demand of labor...
...The Unskilled Step Ahead The Field of Labor ONCE mora the courts have bald th* prevailing rat* of wages o£ New Tom Stat* constitutions!, The Seteet decision was rendered on July 14, IBM...
...Or if K-U found on anybody who to seasek...
...who ta still unav*ng*d i*nd*sft*r fis/lsoaal -atissapt on MusK.itor.'life, thoistate of affair* baa become even m*ca unbearable tana before- The means of *¦—*~*-*-*rg fin* of action which would arena* a>*S spoon* from th* poopto...
...But the legally rooogntoad unions retain the right of exclusive representation of th* working risisas as to wag* agreements and a* to their relation* towasd th* State...
...Th* major responsibility rests witb he employers and th...
...Ttav CoBtodjergtten pf Labor continues as one of these 'extotlng...
...And experience shows that in, court procedure the employer'has'such, a great advantage that adequate, compensation is seldom secured tor the worker, and then at such a high cost for counsel and court charge* that mqch of the compensation award never reaches him...
...L v. to ton...
...Officials who are blind to this fact or incapable of meeting the new situation will be badly burnt when the sparks of revolt break Into conflagration...
...That look* very much like a slap In the face...
...Every- public-opinion molding force must play its part in this development...
...they countenance ridiculously low wages, and, thus, obtain low bid*, they think...
...ta* but even this*'diet of 'pasture' was forbiden them under threat of physical ' violence...
...wtth, the law-of carry the matter to even higher courts, and...
...Shortly afterwards a .split occurred aad one half of th* locals went over to the A F. of L. The United Brotherhood of Brass and Composition Metal Workers, Polishers and Buffers was the result...
...Casualties of Industry How to Win Safety For the Workers By Frank Morrison Secretary, American Federation of Labor (An address before th* Induetrisl Safety Congress in Washington) INDUSTRIAL accidents primarily - concern the workers...
...Buffers aad Platers' International - Uhlan had been formed...
...Reduced to a picture which the average mind can visualise, this means that during every one of the 800 working days in a year 7T workers are killed, and 8,181 are injured in this warfare, which the workers' are compelled to wage against machine production...
...if anybody has bssm tg**V tog oar weekly paper, QtosHsls...
...OF the Worker*, many eg ritom, H to often shitamg dsllhss*t*U both.fatal and non-fatal accident* which the worker* now suffsr attar so many year* of accident prevention law*, aooident prevention policies conceived and applied by the employer*,.and accident prevention movements of many kino*, it is apparent to me that the worker* will probably never' be adequately protected until they protect themselves by.strong trad* unions...
...States- when he** dpUnanonete* *c* remedied then ** room...
...The Campbsll Case What aggravates matters is that the prevailing rate of: wages law is in accordance with an amendment to the constitution agreed to by the voters of tho State in 1904...
...of to* »aaotot mo.v*n»*nU...
...associations,' but confine* -itself te vary modest, propaganda and educational work...
...v. Industrial accidents maim and kill th* workers.' It is th* workers who pay the penalties for inadequate taws...
...I have referred to the responsible industrial end political authorities...
...Th* ragOsga •how* rifts resulting from th* *jZ ess*tve> epgawsston...
...The employer suffers no physical injury himself because of industrial accidents to his employes...
...one .billion dollars' a year, net more than one-quarter of which 1* covered by compensation Insurance...
...Hi* family does not suffer...
...safeguard- thsir live* and limb* in industry...
...He charges the Insurance premium to overhead expenses" as a part of the cost of production, bills it to the dealer to whom,he sells his commodities, and the dealer collects It...
...ta th* pubtte street...
...The New York Stat* Labor Law expressly says: Th* was** to b* sal* for a lepel day's work, as herslnbsfor* defined, to labor***, workman or mechanic* upon such publie works, or upon any material to be ueed upon or tn connection therewith, shall be not lee* than tke> prevail in* rats tor a day's work in the same trade or occupation in the locality within the Stat* - - where such publlo work on, about or In connection with which such labor I* performed in He .final or completed form Is to be situated, erected or used snrl shall'b* paid jSt cash...
...Such contracts stall contain a provision that each laborer, workman ' or mechanic employed by such eontrcotor, subcontrsetor or other person about or upon such publie work, ¦hsH bVpaid the wage* herein provAecK" , lb* city authorities have refused to abfBe by this statute...
...It baa '"friends'' ta politics...
...Th* course of tho M. 'P...
...Theoretically, nobody 1* forced to Join the *unJons,' but ia practice it la essential, net only to be able to enjoy th* advantages of the wsge sgreem*nt...
...Ghastly as I* this picture of th* mortality and casualty rat* in industry...
...23400 Fatalities Each Ysar The statistical aspect of the industrial accident question simply appalls one who lives among the workers and feels wtth them the injustice they suffer tn producing aad distributing the wealth that makes up America's prosperity...
...The significant moves in the American labor movement today are taking place not in the traditional craft unions, but among the unskilled and semi-skilled...
...The**- two- bodies amalgamated in July, 1898...
...Rock dusting can b* mad* compulsory by State legislatures...
...Hasp members of th* middle rlames *r*'b*» ginning to r calls* that they ar* living ta a cage (though It may be a golds* en*), which ta guarded bar a mnsispe 1 Using, violent, authoritative party...
...S . la th* midst of all this gloom faf gueisltols do not dsspair...
...But in the score of year* that, has elapsed since that time, labor has) not found satisfaction, and this despite a long series of favorable decisions...
...hut..sl**>to\h* qJhO to find work In tho factories and on tho land, where tho Industrial magnates and th* landowners engage only those worker* who hold membership card* of tho Fascist unions...
...And the story is repeated In other instances...
...This bring* up th* question of who is in fact responsible for greater part of the 85 percent of industrial accidents which the expert advisers of the Oeoictary of Labor declare could bo, prevented...
...It la not by any meaas th* moert shocking aspect of the question...
...Th* government favors...
...In States that do not have workmen's compensation, the injured worker's resort for Justice is to the courts...
...historical reauty aad tan its o**4 condemnation within.itself...
...they have been promised a fair deal, but when ejection day Is oyer, they have difficulty even in...
...Justice CJenuag aad especially Maboney have pointed out that this Is not true in New York State...
...An Indispensable auxiliary to these checks of human wastage in industry is the need for the development of a sound public opinion...
...The—city officiate' simply deny that the validity of the law has been completely established., • The New Leader reported In [this section recently on the Frank Campbell case, where Municipal Court Justice Oenung on May IS, 1026, ruled that, Campbell, a painter employed in the Department of Plant and Structures, -was entitled to $506 as the difference between > the wages paid him by tho Cltjr syad tba prevailituj rate pf wage...
...His dividends are not curtailed because of accidents In the plants which he owns...
...Kven workers, directly employed by the city upon work - similar to that done for private employers, find themselves ta the Sam* position...
...Union man moat accept a rate of pay below th* union scale...
...executive committee of the International Miners' Federation, at a meeting held in London July 99, decided to postpone until 1937 it* international, congress, scheduled for August, this year, tn Cracow...
...or lookouts necessitating th* raising of money by the International Kffso— tive from July L each affiliated organisation to to pay tour cents per year par member fate this ispoils fund until ft to big «nough to take earo'*f any* ordtnaiT'asuansas *mjtn»<MMm ' Tba amount off totoraafikmal strike benefit* raised while a contact to under way win be determined by the International commission, according to tho ability of the various national bodies...
...from the ultimate consumer In retail prices...
...The Passaic textile strikers are still out ten thousand strong...
...th* membership waa 944SL' During th* conterenoa there was noted a decided oahaa -toward organfanrta* on Industrial Una* that would *vsata*UF bring th* vbookbtaders Into th* same union a* th* ether workers *f the publishing trtoto...
...To approximate this, goal we should dedicate>ur mj^rgta*,.'*., ^ MINERS' INTERNATIONAL POSTPONES ITS CONGRESS • Due largely to the teas* situation created by th* British Miners' strike, the...
...In States which have workmen's compensation tows, a modest Insurance premium, paid out of the wealth produced by the very workers who are injured) settles his responsibility for the maimed workers...
...Court Upholds Law on Prevailing Rate of Wage...
...Wage Lose Is One Billion The wage loss of this army of .industry workers is esrtimatad to be...
...Its origins, however, go back to 1809, when unions of the craft were already in existence...
...from th* depshnw tton of that mtoimum of freapxeaC without which *van capitalism os**S brestth...
...In the tons of thousands of oases where the worker's earning capacity is decreased or destroyed, his family not only suffer*'a lowered standard of living, but their, aspirations aad rights along educational lines are destroyed because of,the permanent decrease of income from the father's earning capacity...
...And-fa th* can* or fatal ar«l<j*tfts...
...Moreover, ther* Is no communal life within the union...
...The quota law has created a shortage of unskilled and semi-skilled labor, thus Increasing the strategic ' importance of this class of workers, aad at the same time started the Amtrtouuisatlon of the foreign born...
...from rtftahto ooorcos...
...making them susceptible to agitation in good American and removing the Inferiority complex which Ba* kvpr rawm«doctl» and submissive...
...Shortly before this the Metal Polishers...
...final lodgment of the court* la favorable to th* prevailing rat* law...
...As is usual la such cssss, only eleven com ponies use its label, for the value of the tatter depends upon Its rarityFive of those companies alone, in as many cities scattered over the.United States, sell badges, bras* goods, buttons and novelties, where union patronage counts...
...No doubt they will try it, too, for the organised labor movement of New York City Is timid...
...The responsibility of mine accidents due to explosions rests -therefore on the private corporations' who Own the nine* aad refuse to Install rock-dusting, sad also on -Stat* legislatures who refuse to enact compulsory legislation...
...They have helped the Democrat* x«t into office...
...A strike of the brick workers at Perth Amboy has already been successful...
...This thought must be impressed on the consciousness of each cirisen...
...to rinses— balaa** th* inlttativ* and autaaaspr of Csptfal which must also put gp With th* fetters and hindrances row, suiting from th* union laws...
...The value of bunxan life, must be emphasized, and the social-.waste that results In the unnecessary loss of one human being must be continually pointed out...
...It was decided to build up s*r lnternatlonal reserve fund to be Sian* upon for advances In eases of sUatsg...
...It is now up to the Walker Administration ill New York City to show whether it intends to ,ej*innjbr...
...These generally affiliated with the Knights of Labor and ia 1888 under pressure of the jiew organisation, the American Federation of Labor...
...The unions are styled 'tttajte Organ*, thai* leaders aad secretaries being appointed and controlled by tba govariniisni through trie Fagetst Prefects, Who are authorised to dismiss them and replace them by othsrs...
...LABOR...
...Inadequate enforcement and inadequate employer accident prevention schemes...
...Zox^tmommot:^ o*> la twrt, as tolkfws...
...1, lot*, holding a prevailing rat* 'of wage* law of Oklahoma, similar to that of New York, unconstitutional Justice Sutherland, who, It win be remembered, wrote the decision invalidating the District of Columbia Minimum Wsge Law for Women, was the spokesman- for the Court • ia, tba pace in point The Oklahoma-statute was held null and void because of th* vagueness, of the terms "prevailing rate" and "locality...
...The right- of our Comrade* to travel and to appear among th* workers depends entirely upon th* disposition of th* pc-llce, ths Fascist mQltia or th*'tocpi .hmdarsf...
...In the official call for this Industrial Accident Conference, the Secretary of Labor states that "a conservative estimate indicates that the fatal industrial accidents (in the United States) probably exceed 91,000 per year, and that non-fatal injuries total 1,800,000 per year...
...metal polishers, who are subject to occupational dtoease...
...gg indeed owe their continuance BMtfS to te* fapt that their main aetggJH consists m *tta*ktbg th* Be i isllM who still stand by tho Socialist gjf Labor International...
...methods and device* and upon State taytalstares who refuse to meet compulsory legislation...
...The Prefects are authorised to repeal all th* dsanes* of the union* "Th* law allows tho existence of workers' unions...
...The situation to Italy *wer#* wsso* day by dag...
...The restless yU FV»*>oi* of th* Rockefeller companies at Bayonne and Baywater are driving generosity Into the hearts of John D. and his personal managers...
...H. Hochstrasser of Berne, th* Bocabinders' International Secretory, who was re-elected by the conference, reported that, due mainly te *t OWSSSSS depression, there had b**n a material loss of membership by- moot of tea affiliated union* sine* th*Leipgbr Conference of 1*19- Oa January V 1996...
...Situation Grows Worse "At the same time, it condemns them to civil and political death, for ta th* new organisation of th* State, Bow la course of preparation, the Senate— whose members are now nominated by the King—gill W appointed In part by the unions...
...The heroic working women or Mollnella preferred to live oa grass, which, they gathered in ditches, rather than giv...
...This party under given cli IiiiiisIsjsJO* would be capable of treating tea weOSltod coffers of tho capitalists ta th* same way as it to now treating that blood-stained peace of th* ......f*Wgj Th* regime stands outside natural sag...
...It Is quite apparent that the major responsibility rests with th* employers and the State governments...
...which may continue as 'existing- associations' (Soclet* di fat to), without tagal reeskgaitioa...
...Experience shows that th* worker* cannot rely either on legislstures, politically appointed enforcement officer*, ar th* employers to...
...Hot only do they permit contractors to use scab labor* on publie construction work, such as subways...
...7,080 of whom would not have been wounded it there, had been proper safeguards—if such reports '• came from the military battle front, ther* would be a nation-wide protest and a wholesale impeachment of th* responsible military authorities...
...The two OasW paper...
...The M. P. L. U, has relied chiefly upon the boycott of the products of unfriendly manufacturers and upon the union label for its organisation work...
...Th* Svprsm* Court Rut** Th* situation has recently boon complicated by* decision of th* United States Supremo Court on February...
Vol. 3 • July 1926 • No. 28
