THE STORY OF THE TYPOGRAPHICAL UNION
Silverstein, Louis
The Story of The Typographical Union A Record of Struggle and Progress By Louis Silverstein III. The Fruits of Centralization (1889-1926) ,.. centralized tba~ sirtlvttief. of the International...
...Canton convention...
...Workers should be- tjree to tela a trade union...
...The danger of...
...ej aahhtted kaoonal anieaw dropped fromfmty aaatafaatf dariag- lfitaV the sectety ad olaeas Whrnrnm...
...All sorts of matter* concerning the welfare of the working people were discussed by the...
...The new Leader reported last week how the negotiations between the union and the Publishers' Association had gone up a dollars per week...
...Impartial Taw** i after all does keep tip with sortolos-lcal and economic advances, even if it is a feneration or two behind- Thus, picketing which originally was discovered to be outrageously illegal, is now countenanced by most Jurists, when tt is peaceable and when Ithe number of pickets is limited...
...the Chrnafst•caafte-Seitan...
...It was renewed in 1906 and again in 1912 for a ten-year period...
...of the International . Typographical Union...
...There were no strings tied to the original gift...
...industrial advances The, International .Typographical Union has always been Cited aa the classical example of a union that has adjusted Itself to changing industrial conditions...
...Were the other printing crafts associated with this Council the**atter would virtually constitute the Printing Trades Department of the American - Federation of Labor...
...In 1889 the That was the attempt to establish the tt^^.^Mm^^m^^, wsasaaapf pexead ^J^UuoM^ium^tao^A^mMtmti can* CbehsgB .consisting af the unions in the ABi*d Printing-Trade* Council and the fetlowiag grdppe of employers: The- Choaod Shop Branch' of th* United Typothetae, the Printers' League of America and th* Internet tonal Association of Employing Stereoypers and Eteotrotypeis...
...Several cities ware victorious in the struggle, and in subsequent years ^ethers joined their ranks...
...And as for what smacks of.;'b)twubod and compulsion", and wha*fj %rfgna«ttto too spirit of our Institutions, that Is entirely a matter of taste...
...The delegates sass* 1 bled In Dorpat obligate themielns ¦> do their best to supply this bnrsf* with the means necessary to cover •» cost of its functioning...
...Tet at the July mooting of the Central Trades, when the prevailing rate - of wages was made the special order of the day, th* officials pussyfooted and buried the' matter in the Executive Committee after spending all but the last five, minutes of the session listening: to speeches of visitors dealing with entirely 'different subjects...
...In tfitfabsencb of a" strike is not a legal right and use that as an argument to prove that picketing under such conditions hi ilelgal...
...compulsory, and should not affect the payment of full wages...
...In contrast to what generally happens at meets held by the bourgeois sport societies, "there was no rowdyism of any kind nor was there a single ta-_ stance of a labor athlete having isdulged too...
...As it is there is but the nucleus of one...
...arbitration agreement with the...
...Now...
...paid foe at double rates...
...The ahn of this new iiraaalsslliia waa to unity relations between capital and 'labor tn...
...L. S. German Unions Gained Despite Hard Times...
...Va*1tfawn up ijfsvtfn3kiiau**d to byreferendum vote the...
...at which tho foundations of the Chinese Federation of Labor were Mid, and the convention of that organisation held fat tho same dty from May 1 to 12, this year, the membership of tho eirffilated-un^ms^reae from 2*0,0*0 u l,-2W.0*b,- Th* gsJbs tn the year preceding the test convention amounted to about 700,000 member...
...Finally If organising by picketing in the absence of a strike results in "irreparable loss" and should, therefore, bo restrained, 4hen effective organizing without picketing Is justs** injurious and, hence, Illegal...
...The sudden precipitation of the .struggle by Ihe offensive .of the United Typothetae, backed up by the open shop interests of the country, found the union unprepared financially...
...fifty-four...
...All those eg ganjxatlpns that accept the prir-js** of the Amsterdam InternaUonal rweratlon of Trade Unions are to » ****jSJ with this bureau...
...Everybody knew that the eight-hour day was won—not everywhere—but that ft ws just a matter of putting on the finishing touches...
...In spite of these strictly trade union activities -of—th* International 'Typo* graphical Union, It has not neglected its beneficiary features...
...DRY LABOR FORCES FORM INTERNATIONAL The latest thins...
...The fory-four week in the book and job trade became an established fact...
...It Is a cardinal principle that an employer may conduct his business as he sees fit, so long as hs does not infringe upon the legal rights of others...
...discovered very early In its history that frequent resort to strikes was not a test of militancy, but an indication of lack of restraint...
...On March 10, 1926, they passed a resolution condemning the city administration for violating its "pledges" to organized labor...
...silence of the audience was broken- Pandemonium broke froth...
...The resolution'on the" right of association and working conditions adopted by the delegates Is given a* follows tar International- and Labor Information, published by the International Labor Office of the League of Nations: "Workers should enjoy freedom of association and combination and of tho press, • "Workers should have the right to strike, but under the Republican Government disputes may be submitted to conciliation procedure under tho direction, of...
...1*4, et . aL (MB N. T. Supp., 401,127 Misc., 162) have both stated that to picket and distribute literature with the purpose of dissuading customers and non-union employers from having dealings with the companies distasteful to the union are Megai...
...The employers agreed to this in principle, but were shy in inaugurating the change immediately...
...The Mayor Thinks It Over The Field of Labor rflhb "abstract...
...The depression of 1920-21 gave the capitalists an advantage...
...When the new invention* were placed on the market in the 'eighties, there were many printers, proud of their skill at setting type by hand, that were prone to resist the Introduction of new devices...
...On May 1, 1*21, the date fixed for the carrying out of the agreement made two years earlier, only a few important cities, among them New Tork and Chicago, found it unnecessary to strike...
...Members are assessed threefourths of 1 per cent of their earnings to provide the million dollars paid out .annually to some two and a hall thousand pensioners...
...These four ta conjunction with' the parent typographical union have founded the Allied Printing Trades Council with the especial purpose of promoting the use At the Allied Printing Trades Union Label, which Is seen ptndf>*%Up^*verywhere on printed matter...
...In the former year a referendum vote of the membership was made compulsory in order to legalise all proposed constitutional amendments and laws involving taxation...
...In 1898 a trade district union was created to be composed of the stereo typers' and electrotypers* unions,'*Whicb...
...They backed down and granted wage1 Increases, retroactive to July 1, 1928, amounting to five dollars per week, three dollars at once for one year and one dollar in eaoh of the two following years of the agreement...
...The Union Printers' Home at Colorado Springs, dedicated in 1892, is a model institution...
...In the midst of the depression Accompanying the panic of 190T a pension plan was adopted...
...Instead, the I. T. U. mad* the new machines serve its purposes, an example which progresive unions, such as the Amalgamated ^Clothing chines ara--.aaa»'^iiii*)*jr s*x«tar> onby bus outplayed „t* «per*ter tham, and snliiiiittan's ante** are ts> ** tn* sralsef wage* Policy enabtefi^t**tneermirloxea^pol graphical Union aot osdy to Weather •n* of th* most eeartSng tadastrial ^•volution*, bat also tp cagKaltso Its beneficial co* *»**«*>*» by Oman dug •honor hours aad higaer.pay wigfltibwtfca ei*ht-ho*ar ds...
...The employers claimed that to grant the demand would drive them out of business...
...In the latter the direct popular election of international officers was substituted for the convention method...
...It is doubtful Whether 'the Typographical Union would have survived the onslaughts of industrial .advances...
...1 From every corner of the confeder- : ation came delegations of husky, happy young men and women of labor to com - pete in friendly rivalry and is lias UP together in mighty mass exercises that drew enthusiastic applause from the' tens of thousands of spectators...
...He is assuming the conclusion that -he is trybig to resist in order to reach that conclusion," Then, the raising of the figurn of, speech of shops standing on "their feet on the same level in the eyes of the law," depends en what is the...
...sarin* transferred tram the fadprstlen of I«bar te then fedesnuaa •* clerical wttb about 000*90 misisws, • the fawnctel eonsUOon af th* federsAtenf of Labor hi msp^vtn**,, according to at repeat- tn...
...gjsan*^t**ja»d^ "a tsbsr"Ofae* should tapslwatl Wtta the collaboration ^4^Sm ta stady labor anestlous...
...After an earlier plan of optional Insurance, established in 1881, bad failed within two years, a new scheme was adopted in 1891...
...Total expenditures were 125,274.09* marks, at which 02,042,727 went for welfare work, an increase of 22,(9^.110 over the previous* year...
...That waa all...
...In 1911 the present graduated mortuary benefit plan was established...
...In contrast to this is the action of the Building Trades Council...
...Referendum votes on tho proposal to levy an assesment to carry on the nine-hour fight resulted ta majority votes being cast in its favor, but since the averted disaster ot 1887, it had been the rule to consider the nine-hour campaign aa automatically involving a strike, and, therefore, requiring a three-fourths vote...
...Had their policy prevailed...
...mailers and web press helpers were all taken into the International...
...It was an effort to be loyal to those old printers who had sacrificed their all in the eight-hour day fight The original amount of pension was fixed at tl weekly for those members above th« age of sixty with a continuous membership of twenty .yean...
...Kurs of Austria, Dr...
...in labor internationals was born at the toternetknsV congress of anti-alcohol societies...
...CHINESE LABOR UNIONS ARE GROWING RAPIDLY During the four years that elapsed between the meeting held in Canton in May, 1922...
...No one will deny that its has brotaght Innumerable gains to the union...
...By this time the agitation, for the eight-hour Jay was well under way...
...But a. lltti* birdie whispered theaews to Mayor Walker and last week they •were Invited to a conference with him...
...The unanimous decision was to net May 1, 1921, as the beginning of the new scheme of thingsAll might have been wen bad not the close of the World War saw the launching of the open-shop drive...
...model- bom*t**inry...
...Mr.,Justice Proskauer in Bolivian Panama Hat Company vs...
...the aaazber...
...It has struck a happy balance between the two functions...
...Thus, in turn, the stereotypers, the pressmen, the bookbinders, bindery girls, press ' feeders, typefounders, newspaper writers...
...do as he pleases, if he does not infringe upon the legal rights ot other...
...Which shows what dialectics can accomplish...
...At present the only other craft tha,t la so represented is the mailers...
...Far tan that flea* salaries war* paid ta fuH-time officers, permanent headquarters were established at Indianapolis, lad, a> defense fund, consisting et ** per cent of th* par capita tax was set up with ultimata authority far calling a strike vested tn the newly-created executive council, can slating of tho president, three vice-presidents, secretary-treasurer and, at that time, district organizers...
...Workers' organizations should nans the right- to conclude collective agree, meets with employers...
...An employer may...
...The employers had replied that they could not consider any reduction of hours at all and that a wage rise would have to be accompanied by "compensatory concessions...
...Said Mr...
...It was also decided to take action to Induce the state legislature.1 to modify the existing provision with reference to penalties in order to facilitate the enforcement of the law, so that...
...Meanwhile, the Typographical members voted overwhelmingly in favor of a fifty-cent assessment...
...The most •marvellous accomplishment of all was the mastery of the-new typesetting machines Instead of being vanquished by them...
...The publishers also demanded that, no wage changes be retroactive...
...Overtime should* b...
...The American Federation of Labor' came to the rescue...
...fvaarf Wmmkt Tho Story mi Local Big ˆ of Now York Cits N. Y. Judges in New Attack On Labor Picketing Right...
...The next struggle' to shorten the hours of work is of more recent date...
...After a three hour discussion the Mayor promised to see to It that some provisions were inserted in the forthcoming city budget to grant the prevailing rate of wages to city employes and to notify contractors, particularly on subways, that their bids would have to be based on the premise that the state law,' requiring the "payment of the prevailing rate on public works, would be enforoed...
...would have complete autonomy over the internal affairs of their craft...
...To appeal to the membership in the usual way for funds was to lose time and flirt with defeat...
...Workers, have studied...
...Wegacheider waa elected Is**** national Secretary, supported by «»_ international committee composed * Dr...
...It can fight but also It can wage Peace...
...of which the plaintiff complains...
...Work...
...They suggested an adjustment period of five years, but finally compromised on two...
...The general strike was called immediately...
...They suggested the...
...The Communist opposition had only twenty-eight delegates out of a total of 1ST, so It was unable to make jnuch.traabhv...
...Strikes aad lockouts took 29,«m,940 marks, a gain of 12,971,024 over 1*94...
...tyranlcal con trot that lurked In too much.centralisation waa apparent at the- start and, therefore...
...But the refusal of the Typographical Union to arbitrate any of Its general laws led to a discarding of the arrangement in 1922...
...Seventeen million dollars were expended, but in the end the employers bowed to he inevitable...
...pay tlmuteofsOThg rate of .wages aad to require eontractors on public works to da so, baa started a discontent in the hurt three months that baa almost bordered, on rebellion...
...bdj^^bj rrfbutions tq wb *fh ahaujg^z^gawssi.m the employers and the trejlmfc'.^rt 1 **Coattauatttm education basspasa M should be created far twjebss-al worker* of both sexaa ' SZ'i^jm -The National Ualoa of ikitofM Trade, tlnlomi should be Tee*aajt^£« when labor legtelattea ta dtasr* igylsl tinue to Sourish in Scjuthera Caa*a!jey| gether with tho extension of-thans af power-of the progrosslr* f3gj3 Gkrvernment and its allies, is taksktes granted...
...It provided for a $60 death payment, which was subsequently increased to $75...
...Coercive methods, smocking'of intimidation and compulsion, whether employed by/union.or non-union agencies,' are equally repugnant to the spirit of our institutions...
...They did not.even make their action public...
...f*« repreventatives of the various k*sr abstainers' organizations attending tot congress got together and coodaeed w form an International o<<S»*3nssB| id reported in German newspapers, Ihsj adopted the following resolution: "The Socialist abstainers' or#a«hations Join forces and found an mtsnTS* ; tional secretariat, with Its headgssf- j ters in Berlin...
...If the BepubScsn sraabnl should be seriously defeated by ttnabm lied forces ot th* Northern reeatteaasn chiefs, Wu Pei+Fu and ™—-f trr isjjm and forced fo fonflne their setm5hb4sm th* Canton district It would b*nefvr9 back tor th* young Chinese aatterm movement as wall a* tor rhlnsmheatj teal proaress...
...The pentup emotions of the htsb few months found expression in tears and shouts...
...forty-four hour week...
...It was started with an initial donation of f 10,000 by two wealthy business men ot Philadelphia, George W. Childs and A J. Drexel, to which union members made additional contributions...
...Justice Qibbs in Cuslunan's Sons, Inc-, Amalgamated Food Workers, Bakers' Local No...
...Then, too...
...President William B. Prescott who was one of the most earnest advocates ot the reform, was the first to go down to defeat in 1898 through the new procedure...
...Which all goes to show that a little determination and fearlessness" on the part of organized labor can go a long way...
...almost wrecked the Typographical Union, and how the situation was saved by th* illegal action ot the executive council in ordering an assessment of oao dollar per member...
...law—which is the whole crux- of the matter...
...The Typothetae saw that the union was in dead earnest...
...meeting...
...freely in alcoholic stint*., lants, either before or after the gases Evidently fearing the effect great demonstration open the 'worsmfc class members of the old Cso-otBssp neutral) sport societies, the bourgeois] Swiss press tried its best to kill the' meet by a policy of silence, but failed dismally...
...The smallest national union Is the Film Workers, with only 1,272 members, compared with 2,581 in 1*2...
...The insurance and pension systems of the' union are among the best of their kind...
...following year...
...Ml in Dorpat, Estonia, July 21 to It...
...They were assigned the fourth vice-presidency...
...The record of the Internationa] Typographical Union Is a glorious one...
...Mind you they did not ask for it themselves...
...But the only legal rights Involved In this case are those of picketing...
...The printing trades proved no exception...
...W*- have seen fa Che previous installment how the ntnadiour movement of 188...
...At the August meeting last week the question was not resurrected...
...the public authorities or the ^tereetad, parties...
...How can the Justice maIc«,t*e*,uuppos«I«h that picketing...
...hours to...
...Ironically enough...
...Essentially that has been the organisation -ait' th* union since...
...As the Berner Tagwacbt pointed out, the inspiring example of their brothers organised in the labor sports association Is sure to make the workers In the old societies wonder where they really belong, and win no, doubt help wean them away from their present affiliations and line them' at with their class, In sports as well a* oe tViA field nf indnstrv...
...the trad...
...It seined to be the strategy of tho employers to divide the workers* forces...
...heavy wars Should be entitled to eight weeks* con| secuUve holiday on fun pay before sa< after ^childbirth, and' those employee on light warkn to six weak** holiday Beat periods far the purpose of auraneanasnscfepfg *m50*b* asasttbsbb...
...Strike assessments were levied over a period of three years...
...contagion of craft unionism in the American labor movement was not to he downed, even It certain vice-presidencies were assigned to specific crafts...
...With the;opening of the twentieth* 'century the proposal was taken up with great seriousness...
...In principle, it has favored arbitration, wherever posT Bible...
...come two recent derisions, in New Tork courts which declare picketing for -organizing purposes in the absence of a strike illegal...
...There, as President Lynch ended hi* address to the convention, a huge electric banner,- bearing the words "Eight Hours," -slowly- descended upon the stage...
...Indeed, back in 1805, taken a stand in favor of establishing that working day, but at that time ton and twelve hours constituted the normal printer's day and the suggestion was dropped...
...But the...
...Everywhere a bitter battle ensued...
...A feature of the meet was the admirable discipline maintained by the participants...
...The Union had no alternative...
...American Newspaper Publishers' Association was -to*, gears an obispj inf adgjgtntion...
...It is worth in excess of 83,000,000 today...
...The Typographical Union had...
...the eight-hour day...
...The first to go were the pressmen, In 1889 they formed the International Printing Pressmen and Assistants' Union...
...In short, the International Typographical Union was an Industrial union...
...As the Colorado Springs convention of October, 1900, approached, the delegates looked anxiously forward to meettheir fellows...
...f ¦ "The employment ot cbfMrea under 12 year* should bp prohibited^ aa wall as the employment of yetmg persona under M -years ta dangerous or unhealthy processes, ¦ "Women employed te...
...Arguing from "legal right** and "the spirit of the law" » _ sheer nonsense...
...Chinese Make Progress Labor Doings Abroad iat^wa*«r]sa?m tntal on baoamkar « hist a»ft> -tAsfi...
...In fact a blow at the unions there would strike at one of the advance guards ot the American Labor movement A movement not only to abrogate tho action of the Joint Conference Council got under way, but also a plan to Increase the number, pt...
...7"'.*4g| SWISS SPORT HOT A GREAT SUCCESS The third national meet of the Bwtatf Labor Gymnastic and Sport ,h metis B tions, held in Bern, August 7, t and M was the greatest event ever recorded in the history of Swiss athletic labor organizations...
...The battle for the eight-hour day began four months ahead of the scheduled date—but then that waa war...
...r* . features The Typographical Vaion, however, haa shown Itself as adept at negotiations as at battling...
...Their proposal for a six dollar Increase With the aborftioh of the "resetting ot bogus was turned down by a secret vote of the membership of Big Six ot 1290 to7t This showed the owners that the union was prepared to fight...
...The master printers threatened a war *> the finish'and., ta*7, w*2ens 1y In August, 1905, began to lock-out union printers, first In Detroit, then In San Antonio, aad finally in Chicago...
...This coming Sunday, August 29, 1020, the union members will vote ,on the new agreement They will probably ratify it...
...the) official organl Th* receipts hut year totaled _ 14ta8a701 marks (worth gf-g aente each), s gainst 17,017,000 marks In 192...
...Since then, nevertheless, arbitration has been the general rule in the newspaper trade...
...Today the rate, is 88...
...By the latter they meant the elimination of the resetting of bogus, the practice of setting up again within four days all mats and type that had been borrowed from" or exchanged with other offices...
...The . plaintiff would suffer irreparable loss if tho defendants were permitted to continue to uss the methods employed by them and...
...wfsh a4v numb*ra...
...At the St Louis Convention of 1904, the Typographical Union set New Tear's Day, 1900,-aa the Inauguration of...
...The social views' of the Judge in question decides that...
...The 4*0 delegates to the Canton meeting represented unions in nipeteen provinces, but naturally th* bulk ot tho membership is in Canton ^and the adjoining territory, as in that part et China the'workers aro more advanced, both politically and industrially...
...Nothing was said about bogus...
...disobedient contractors would be compelled to comply with the legal requirements or forfeits their deposits...
...It might have declined as the Cigar Makers* Union has«done...
...The orchestra took up the strains of "America...
...Between a million and a half and two million dollars were spent within a year...
...Important- Innovations were mad* In 18S9 and 1890...
...The greatest achievement of the International Typographical Union, however, does not lie in the adjustment of these, craft differences, although that is not to be belittled...
...v"Sunday rest and publte holidayi should be...
...Exceptional due to special national conditions,^ " to Toe laid before the International C- I mittee that is to be the deciding bt j I until a general meeting of delegacy*: J Dr...
...Partially to make up for these -defections, the once powerful GerrnanAmerlcan . Typographia, consisting of the Gerjpan printers, united with the International Typographical Union in 1893...
...A LITTLE COURAGE, PLEASE...
...Labor leaders of the New Tork City Central Trades and Labor Council have been bemoaning the faithlessness of the Walker Administration- in not only not giving them a square deal after their campaign efforts: in behalf of them 'an adequate heering...
...When the Invention of new processes created new craftsmen, it was quick to organize these unorganized...
...Af the national convention of the Metal Workers' Union, hem ta Bremen the flrtr^ week of August a resolution Was 'adopted' re-affirming the union's contention that If the Russian Metal Workers' Union wanted to effect International unity it 'should accept the'rules of the Metal Workers* International and apply for admission...
...As might have happened in a fairy tale, the employees were asked what proposals they had to otter...
...Confidence of the delegates in the management of the organization was expressed by the re-election of Dlssmann, Brandes and Belchel aa national chairmen...
...In several, places the commercial p^int shops had in fact won tho eight-hour day, but tho United Typothetae were getting ready for the fray...
...The working day ahouhl be limited, in principle, to eight hours or leas where unhealthy processes .are concerned...
...Where the line is to be drawn hinges entirely on who tho judge is and- what is the poUelcal pressure exerted by the economic groups involved...
...Thus, in addition to the press, the' International Brotherhood of Bookbinders, the PhotoEngravers' International Union and the International Stereo typers and Electrotypers' Union were established...
...don* outside normal hoars of work should require tho nnpsgnf pit the trade unions...
...The third vice-president is selected from among them...
...But the Typographical Union saw the trend of the tins** smd> mstesd^-ef'emtmrldng upon a bitter craft war assisted in the formation of the new unions...
...Ftakelsteln (2llT N.~ T. Supp, 199) and Mr...
...With changes made since, the scheme today provides for payment* of S7S for those who have been members in good standing for one year ta $500 for those with a continuous membership of fifteen...
...Holitseher * Czechoslovakia, BJoerkmann of den and Volonman of Finland...
...Its Executive Council" levied an assessment of four cents per member upon every affiliated national and international union...
...Justice Qibbs...
...The gains made in various localities soon made the nine-hour day almost customary in the Industry, and In 1898 the United Typothetae of America, the employers' organization, and the Typographical, Bookbinders and Pressmen's Unions agred to establish the nine and one-half hour day for a year, beginning November 21, of that year, and nine hours thereafter...
...m'-'a . • t . BIG SIX'S BIG VICTORY New'Tork Typographical Union, Big Six, has won another victory...
...Union and non-union shops stand with their feet on the asms level in the eyes of the law...
...The union making tho biggeat gain In 192S was the htetal Workers, which cinched its position as the -leading union in Germany, by Increasing its membership from 710,924 to tf4,f09...
...This" was followed by a second assessment of ten percent on earnings...
...Custom and the economic strength of labor have brought about that much ot .concessions to the workers...
...THE NEW LEADER has pointed duff on several ee6**tens-bew <faitare Of aha city siaheikins to...
Vol. 3 • August 1926 • No. 33
