SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. To the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled. In so far as statements of cases can do, the following reports summarize the work of the Board during the past year. A large amount of the office work of the Board such as meeting parties to controversies or threatened outbreaks, advising as to the best course of action and endeavoring to soften the feelings of those who think themselves aggrieved—it is impossible to commit to type. In general, the work may be classified under three heads, which relate: First, to the formation of trade agreements or collective bargaining; Second, to arbitration cases, where points in dispute are left to the decision of the Board; and Third, to conciliation cases, in which, by mediation between the parties to a controversy threatened or existing, the Board endeavors to bring them together on some common ground. It is the desire of the Board to foster the manifest tendency of employers and employees to enter into collective bargaining relating to wages, hours and conditions of work. There is ample opportunity at present to suggest the advantage of trade agreements over the harsher and more cruel methods of strikes and lockouts. Except as a last resort, these latter, although still too numerous, now find few advocates. The advantages of collective bargaining seem to us so great that we lose no opportunity of advising it. One cannot deny that much of the work of collective bargaining is clumsy and crude, and as yet bears all the marks of its recent rapid growth; but it is the best substitute yet presented for strikes and lockouts, and therefore deserves approval, even in its crudity. The increasing tendency to arbitrate differences rather than strike is shown by the fact that the Board has been called upon to render decisions in more than twice as many cases as in the previous year. These cases, most of which have been in the shoe industry, relate to wages, and have been presented to this Board in accordance with trade agreements to this effect between employer and employed. When it is remembered that at least one-third of the disturbances in the industrial world are questions of wages, these cases are interesting, because they show that this particular question-the largest by far in industrial problems is especially adapted to settlement by arbitration. The practice provided by the statute in such cases is well fitted to bring about a fair result. The parties in the dispute send to the Board a joint written application, in which the points of controversy are set forth. On receiving such application, the Board as soon as possible holds a hearing in the place where the difficulty has arisen. Frequently the parties meet the Board at the factory where the trouble has occurred, in some room temporarily arranged for a hearing. Here both sides are heard, and such evidence is given as each desires to produce on the points in controversy. The particular work in question is then inspected by the Board, and, when deemed necessary, each party nominates, subject to the approval of the Board, an expert assistant to collect facts in relation to the rate of wages, amount of earnings and conditions of labor in other factories in the State where similar work is done. Each party is allowed to submit a list of factories which the expert assistants may visit. The hearing is then closed, and the expert assistants are appointed and sworn to the faithful performance of their duties as assistants to the Board, and are instructed as to the method of obtaining facts relating to the case. The two expert assistants then visit the factories suggested by the interested parties and approved by the Board, and gather such facts as seem important, after which a written report of the same is carefully made by them. This report is presented by them to the Board at a final conference, at which the contesting parties are not present, and is fully explained, and the matter is then taken under consideration by the Board. When a conclusion is reached, the experts are again summoned to hear the proposed decision and to suggest such revision as they deem advisable. After this final hearing a decision is rendered. It will be noticed that the question of rate of wages, or what is a fair price for work, is the same that comes up for settlement almost daily in courts of law; and there seems no good reason why it cannot be decided by some such practice as this law now provides. Should this be done, it would eliminate the most prolific source of labor disputes. Cases of conciliation-in which the parties are already in contention - differ from arbitration cases, in that there is no fixed rule or method of procedure in handling them. They have few characteristics in common. Each case must be treated by itself. To get the parties together, to bring about a friendly conference, is the object to be attained, but the means are as different as the cases. The results, too, vary with the circumstances. Often they are most satisfactory, at times unexpectedly so, yet occasionally all attempts at mediation fail. There is also a time when such work can best be done, and the proper moment depends a good deal upon the temper of the parties. The best time to stop a strike is before it begins; but employers are often optimistic and skeptical as to coming trouble. Many employers are too busy to attend to mere premonitions, and allow matters to drift until the breach occurs. With such men it is time enough to consider a trouble when they are face to face with it. But even when a strike is once instituted, it is not always wise to intervene immediately. A little delay frequently serves to show the real situation, and gives both sides opportunity for reflection. Sober second thought usually results in a desire for conciliation, and then the intervention of the State Board is not likely to be unwelcome. There is a constantly increasing demand for the services of the Board, as the public becomes more familiar with its work. The following reports show the great variety of industries and the many different combinations of capital and labor with which the Board has had dealings during the past year. |