The following table is made up from two statements of the results of arbitration before the joint board, one of which appeared in the bulletin of the Department of Labor for January, 1897, page 22, and the other was submitted to the Industrial Commission by the secretary of the joint board on December 21, 1900:

It will be seen that these two statements of results are somewhat inconsistent. At the end of 1896 it was reported that 4 cases had been decided in favor of the manufacturer and 3 had been compromised. At the end of 1900 there is no mention of any compromise, and all cases but 3 are asserted to have been decided in favor of the employee. In each case, all decisions made since the establishment of the system are supposed to be included.

66

The Philadelphia manufacturers seem to be unanimously gratified with the working of these arrangements during the past 13 years. Some of them, and also some representatives of the working people who have been prominent in the Central Convention of Shoe Workers, testified before the Industrial Commission and spoke in high terms of the existing system. It was admitted, however, that the feeling of satisfaction was not universal among the working people. It was admitted that some of the working people say that it is a one-sided organization, that the heads of the Central Convention are 'bosses' men and all hold fat jobs, and that the bosses use them." The opponents of the system assert that the election of delegates to the Central Convention is dictated, at least in some cases, by the manufacturers. It is stated by both sides that the manufacturers compel their employees to join the Central Convention; but this joining consists in nothing more than a promise to abide by the rules, and a trifling contribution, said to be one cent a meinber a month, to cover the expenses. It is not understood to be denied that the rules of the joint organization and of the Central Convention were framed by the manufacturers and accepted by the employees when they could hardly avoid acceptance.'

The following extracts will indicate the tone of the rules, and will sufficiently show that they were written from the standpoint of the employer rather than of the employee:

In reading these rules the rule and comment should be read together.

RULE 1.-The right of the manufacturer to employ or discharge employees must be acknowledged. Comment.-This rule means that the right to employ and to discharge laborers belongs to those who own the business. There could be no other rule. No prudent man would invest capital in business if he could not control it by employing the laborers he thought necessary and proper for conducting it. This is the inseparable incident of capital.

RULE 2.-Employers or employees must not discriminate for or against any individual because he or she is not a member of any organization,

Comment.-No employer shall discharge or refuse to hire a man or woman because he or she is not a member of any organization. Nor shall any man or woman refuse to work with or for any person because he or she is not a member of any organization. This is but equal justice to all, and will promote the freedom of conscience we boast of as American citizens.

RULE 7.-There shall be no interference with the employment or wages of hands hired by the week, when the wages are satisfactory to the employer and employees, so that competent workmen may be protected.

Comment.-Business requires that some "hands be hired by the week," and that wages are paid to the skill of the hand. It is the object of the rule to protect both the laborer and the manufacturer. It is to give to the manufacturer the advantage of skilled labor, and to give to skilled labor a just remuneration. Of course the manufacturer may employ inferior skill and give it inferior remaneration. This may be important at some times and for some purposes. It is the right of the manufac turer to determine how his business shall be conducted. Capital and labor should each receive its equitable reward.

If the wages are not satisfactory the hand may quit work; and if not satisfactory to the employer he may dismiss him.

With any other rule business could not be safely carried on.

Whatever may be the merits or defects of the Central Convention of Shoe Workers, and whether its effects upon the condition of its members are better or worse than the effects of a labor organization of the usual type, it is to be expected that such labor organizations will not look upon it with favor. The general secretary-treasurer of the Boot and Shoe Workers' Union wrote, under date of September 29, 1900:

1See testimony of various witnesses on this subject in Reports of Industrial Commission, vol. xiv pp. 290-310, 321-349.

"The Philadelphia plan of arbitration is a fraud, and always so recognized by bona fide labor organizations. The arrangement there is such that if any employee is dissatisfied or has a grievance he must report it to the shop committee, who are in every case in league with the employer, and it has come to be accepted as a fact that for an employee to seek the aid of this board was equivalent to asking for his own discharge.

The proof that this system is not what is claimed for it by the manufacturers (and no one else claims anything for it) lies in the fact that there have recently been two branches of the craft in Philadelphia organized quite thoroughly and independent of the Central Convention of Shoe Workers, so called. The branches I refer to are the lasters and the cutters. Last month the lasters struck in four factories in Philadelphia, cleaning two of them out completely and the other two partially. Whereupon the Central Convention of Shoe Workers expelled the lasters and declared the shops fair, thus breaking up a bona fide strike for better conditions. I may add that neither of these unions, namely, the cutters or lasters, are affiliated with this body."

The assertions that work people do not expect justice from the board, and that they are afraid to bring complaints there, were both affirmed and denied in testimony before the Industrial Commission. The table of results, given above, does not seem to indicate a bias against the employees, but if the board be of the character claimed by its opponents, the table itself may be misleading.

3. Union label agreements and arbitration.-A considerable number of the employees in boot and shoe factories, especially in Massachusetts, are organized into a national body, known as the Boot and Shoe Workers' Union. This organization has adopted a label for use on goods manufactured in establishments where only union men are employed, and has recently adopted a policy of seeking to obtain contracts with individual employers providing for its use. These contracts consist chiefly of regulations regarding the use of the union stamp. In return for the privilege of using the stamp, the employer agrees to hire only union labor and to submit all questions as to wages and conditions of labor to arbitration. In States where there is a State board of arbitration, the contract regularly provides for the reference of matters as to which the parties can not agree to the State board. In other cases the contract provides that the employees shall name one arbitrator, the employer making the contract another, and that these two shall name a third. The union agrees not to sanction any strike and to assist the employer in procuring competent workers in the place of any who may insist upon striking, while the employer agrees not to lock out his men.

Agreements of this sort are now being made with such manufacturers as are willing to recognize the union and employ the union label. The number of firms which have signed such agreements is at present nearly 100, including several very important ones. The full text of the union stamp contract of the Boot and Shoe Workers' Union follows:

BOOT AND SHOE WORKERS' UNION.-UNION STAMP CONTRACT.

Agreement entered into this - day of › 190-, by and betweeen shoe manufacturer of ——, hereinafter known as the employer, and the Boot and Shoe Workers' Union, with headquarters at 620 Atlantic avenue, Boston, Mass., hereinafter known as the union, witnesseth: First. The Union agrees to furnish its union stamp to the employer free of charge, to make no additional price for the use of the stamp, to make no discrimination between the employer and other firms, persons, or corporations who may enter into an agreemeut with the Union for the use of the union stamp, and to make all reasonable effort to advertise the union stamp, and to create a demand for the union-stamped products of the employer in common with other employers using the union stamp. Second. In consideration of the foregoing valuable privileges, the employer agrees to hire, as shoe workers, only members of the Boot and Shoe Workers' Union, in good standing, and further agrees not to retain any shoe worker in his employment after receiving notice from the Union that such shoe worker is objectionable to the Union, either on account of being in arrears for dues, or disobedience of Union rules or laws, or from any other cause.

Third. The employer agrees that he will not cause or allow the union stamp to be placed on any goods not made in the factory for which the use of the union stamp was granted.

Fourth. It is mutually agreed that the Union will not cause or sanction any strike, and that the employer will not lock out his employees while this agreement is in force.

All questions of wages or conditions of labor, which can not be mutually agreed upon, shall be submitted to

The decision of this board of arbitration shall be final and binding upon the employer, the Union, and the employees.

Fifth. The Union agrees to assist the employer in procuring competent shoe workers to fill the places of any employees who refuse to abide by section four of this agreement, or who may withdraw or be expelled from the Boot and Shoe Workers' Union.

Sixth. The employer agrees that the union collectors in the factory shall not be hindered or obstructed in collecting the dues of members working in the factory.

Seventh. The employer agrees that the general president, or his deputy upon his written order, may visit the employees in the factory at any time.

Eighth. The employer agrees that the union is the lawful owner of the union stamp.

Ninth. The Union agrees that no person except the general president, or his deputy upon his writ ten order, shall have the right to demand or receive the union stamp from the employer.

Tenth. Should the employer violate this agreement, he agrees to surrender the union stamp or stamps in his possession to the general president, or his deputy upon his written order, and that the said general president, or his deputy, may take said stamp or stamps, wherever they may be, without being liable for damages or otherwise.

Eleventh. In case the said employer shall for any cause fail to deliver the said stamp or stamps to the general president, or his deputy, as provided in this agreement, the employer shall be liable to the general president in the sum of two hundred (200) dollars, as liquidated damages, to be recovered by the general president in an action of contract, brought in the name of the general president, for the benefit of the Union, against the employer.

Twelfth. This agreement shall remain in force until

Should either party desire to alter, amend, or annul this agreement, it shall give a written notice thereof to the other party three months before expiration of the agreement: and if the parties fail to give such notice, the agreement shall continue in force for another year, and so on from year to year until such notice is given.

Thirteenth. In case the employer shall cease to do business, or shall transfer its business, or any part thereof, to any person or persons or corporation, this agreement shall be ended, and the stamp or stamps shall be returned to the general president forthwith without demand from the Union, when a new agreement of similar tenor as this may be entered into.

1. Agreements with employers generally. The National Union of Brewery Workmen makes it a practice to obtain annual or biennial agreements with employers, if possible, wherever local unions are organized. Separate agreements are made for brewers and maltsters, for drivers, and for engineers and firemen. These agreements usually, if not uniformly, provide for the exclusive employment of union men. In other words, the union undertakes to completely unionize those establishments in which it gains a footing. Rates of wages and hours of labor are prescribed, and although these are not uniform throughout the country, approximately the same conditions are established in each case. This is the natural result of the requirement that agreements shall be approved by the national executive board of the union. Provision is made for the laying off of men in turn, for not longer than one week at a time, during the dull season. Regulations are frequently made regarding apprenticeship, limiting the number of apprentices and fixing the duration of apprenticeship. Many agreements provide for the settlement of grievances arising from violations of the contract, by an arbitration committee, consisting of two representatives of the union and two of the employers, the four so chosen to appoint a disinterested fifth member.

The secretary of the union states that this system of agreements "works wonders when both parties live up to it." The national officers urge the local unions not to bring cases before the arbitration board unless they are sure they are in the right. Nevertheless the secretary declares the decisions of arbitrators have been generally in favor of employers, even where the right was clearly on the side of the union.

2. St. Louis agreement.-The following agreement between some of the great breweries of St. Louis and the Brewers' and Maltsters' Union of that city is typical of the agreements in the brewery trade:

AGREEMENT OF BREWERS AND MALTSTERS' UNION No. 6, ST. Louis, Mo.

SECTION 1. From and after the date of this agreement no brewers or maltsters shall be employed who are not members in good standing of Brewers and Maltsters' Union No. 6, and the Brewery Workmen's National Union, and all such brewers and maltsters shall, as heretofore, be engaged through the labor bureau of the above-mentioned organization.

SEC. 2. Hours of labor: Nine (9) consecutive hours shall constitute a day's work. With the excep tion of loading beer, work shall not commence before seven o'clock in the morning and last not longer than till five o'clock p. m. Fifteen (15) minutes shall be allowed for lunch and one (1) hour for dinner. No Sunday work shall be done, excepting loading beer.

Each maltster shall have one day off weekly. For maltsters fifty-four (54) hours shall constitute a week's work.

The following shall be considered as brewer's work: All work in the malt house, brewhouse, fermenting room, cellars, and washhouse, also the handling of all full and empty cooperage inside of the brewery buildings (flagging kegs, making new hoops, and repairing cooperage shall be considered as cooper's work).

All raw materials used in the manufacture of beer shall be handled by brewers after they have been carried out of the cars and come into the brewery buildings. Union malt shall be given the preference.

No man stamping or labeling the kegs who is not a member of L. U. No. 6 shall be allowed to do the work of men in the racking room, as racking and handling kegs, or cleaning the racking room, tanks, and implements in the same. Work in the racking room shall be considered as cellar work, shall be paid for as such, and be under the control of the first man in the cellar.

SEC. 3. Wages payable weekly. The wages for washhouse men shall not be less than fourteen dollars ($14.00) per week. The wages for men employed in the cellars, fermenting room, malt house, and kettle department shall not be less than fifteen dollars ($15.00) per week, and overtime shall be paid to the above-named workingmen at the rate of fifty (50) cents per hour. Overtime shall only be worked in case of emergency, and shall not be taken out.

Night work in the malt house shall alternate monthly or shall be paid for at the rate of sixteen dollars ($16.00).

SEC. 4. During the dull business season no workmen shall be discharged, but the men, including the apprentices, shall be laid off in turn without any partiality and for not longer than one (1) week. This does not apply to the first man of each department, provided he has steady work in his department.

The workingmen shall, as heretofore, receive their beer free of charge during working hours. No workman shall lose his position on account of sickness.

All workmen shall have the liberty to live and board where they choose.

Work.on Labor Day and the first of May shall be considered as Sunday work, and shall be paid for as such.

No member shall be discriminated against for doing committee services. The positions of first men shall be filled in the future by union men only.

SEC. 5. One (1) apprentice shall be allowed for the first fifteen (15) workmen and one (1) for every additional twenty-five (25) workmen. No apprentice shall at the time of his engagement be under sixteen (16) or over twenty (20) years of age, and his term of apprenticeship shall be three (3) years. All apprentices shall make applications for membership to the Union at the time of their employment. SEC. 6. Allgrievances about violations of the above shall be decided by an arbitration committee, consisting as follows: Two men to be chosen by Brewers and Malsters' Union No. 6, and two be chosen by the representative firm, and in case of disagreement, the four (4) so chosen shall appoint a disinterested person as a fifth member, and whose decision shall be binding on both parties.

It is understood that the decision of the executive committee of the Trades and Labor Union of July 3rd, 1899, shall form part of this agreement.

This agreement to continue and remain in force and effect for the term expiring June 1st, 1901. Witness our hands and seals:

St. Louis, Mo., July 3rd, 1899.

ANHEUSER-BUSCH BREWING ASSOCIATION,
AUG. A. BUSCH, Vice-President.
WM. J. LEMP BREWING COMPANY,
H. VAHLKAMP, Secretary.
CONSUMERS' BREWING COMPANY,

THEODORE HEROLD, President.

BURTON ALE AND PORTER BREWING COMPANY,

J. M. FRIEDRICH, President.

The same employers in St. Louis, together with certain others, have a joint agreement with the local union of brewery firemen, affiliated with the National Union of Brewery Workmen. This is somewhat less detailed than the brewers' agreement, but is broadly similar in character, fixing wages, hours and causes of discharge, regulating the laying-off system, and providing for the arbitration of grievances.

Another important agreement is that between the employing brewers of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington and Newport, Ky., and the Brewers and Maltsters' Union of that vicinity. This is nearly identical with the St. Louis agreement, both as to hours, wages, apprenticeship, arbitration, etc. In the same cities there is also an agreement covering the drivers and stable men. This contains no provision for arbitration. An important provision in it is that an employee injured by an accident, through no fault of his own, shall receive half his wages until he is well.

3. New York City lager beer brewers.'-Agreement of Brewers' Union No. 1 of the National Union of United Brewery Workmen of the United States, and employing brewers of Manhattan, Bronx, and Richmond boroughs, New York City:

First. Only members of the National Union are to be employed, with the exception of foreman, assistant foreman, and apprentices. The foreman and assistant foreman shall be prohibited from performing work appertaining to the workmen.

Second. Workmen recommended by saloon keepers are not to be employed. Every workman shall be at liberty to reside or board where he chooses.

Third. Only members holding a working card of Brewers' Union No. 1 shall be employed. Fourth. Workmen shall be discharged only for good reasons. Sickness is no excuse for a discharge upon convalescence.

Fifth. To avoid discharges during the winter season the workmen shall be laid off in rotation impartially for one week (or all the men shall stop for one day in the week).

Sixth. No member will be permitted to perform work appertaining to driver, fireman, or engineer. The coopers shall not do any brewery work unless they are members of Brewers' Union No. 1.

Seventh. One apprentice will be allowed to every twenty-five workmen, but he must not be above the age of 21 years.

Eighth. (a) Ten hours, in twelve consecutive hours, including two hours for meals, constitute a day's work. (b) In case overtime is necessary this must be paid extra at the rate of fifty cents per hour, and all such time can not be made up at a later date. (c) Six working days shall be a week, while necessary work on Sunday must not exceed two hours, for which extra and double compensation is to be paid; watchmen who work seven days per week shall be allowed a free day every month, and receive full pay for same. (d) On Labor Day three hours of labor, ending at 7 o'clock a. m., shall

1 Bulletin New York Bureau of Labor, June, 1900.

be performed; on May 1st work shall not exceed five hours. Full wages shall be paid for both of these days. All labor performed after these hours must be paid extra.

Ninth. The wages are to be paid weekly, as follows: First man in washhouse, $18; all others, $16. Workmen in the fermenting room, cellar, kettle, or malt miller shall receive $18 per week.

Tenth. During the working hours the workmen shall receive beer free of charge, and where the ticket system prevails the tickets are to be distributed in sufficient quantities.

Eleventh. This agreement is valid for one year, commencing April 16, 1900, and ending April 16,

1901.

X. BUTCHERS AND MEAT CUTTERS.

The secretary of the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen says that the organization gets written agreements with employers whenever it is possible, and that about 15 per cent of the locals have them. Experience with them has been favorable. They often include agreements for arbitration of all differences, and differences have been arbitrated under them in many cases with satisfactory results. Among others the Armour Company, the S. and S. Company, and Jacob Dold have submitted differences to arbitration, with results satisfactory to the workers. The Retail Protective Association of Utica, New York, has furnished another instance. The following is the form of agreement which the union seeks to secure from individual retail dealers. It does not provide for arbitration:

STATE OF

AND THE

CONTRACT BETWEEN THE RETAIL BUTCHERS OF THE TOWN OF
AMALGAMATED MEAT CUTTERS AND BUTCHER WORKMEN OF NORTH AMERICA, A. F. OF L., LOCAL
UNION NO. —

1. All employees, except bookkeepers, agents, barnmen, and delivery boys, not cutting meat, must be members of local union No. 12, A. M. C. and B. W. of Ñ. A.

2. When a vacancy occurs only members of the Union are to be employed, extra help for short periods excepted.

3. Working days shall not exceed 12 hours, six working days to be considered a full week, except as otherwise provided in this contract; Saturdays and two evenings before Thanksgiving and Christmas, and one evening before every other holiday excepted.

4. This to apply to markets only.

5. From 6.30 a. m. to 10 a. m. shall be considered a full day when it occurs on a holiday.

6. Shortening of hours shall not cause a reduction of wages.

7. All overtime must be paid at the rate of time and a half, Sunday work at the rate of double time, and Sunday work to be done only when absolutely necessary.

8. Markets to be kept open from 6.30 a. m. to 6.30 p. m. from January 1st to July 1st, and from July 1st to January 1st from 6 a. m. to 7 p. m., men to start cleaning up at 6.30 p.m.

9. I do further agree that my market shall be kept closed on Sundays and legal holidays, except as otherwise provided in this contract.

10. This agreement to go into effect

and expires

(Signed)

[SEAL.]

President.

- Secretary.

XI. CLOTHING AND TAILORING TRADES.

The agreements in the clothing trades do not usually cover any except the higher branches of the trade, or if agreements are made in the more poorly paid branches they are usually of little strength.

ers.

The more highly skilled workers in these trades largely belong to the Journeymen Tailors' Union of America. Agreements are frequently made between local branches of this organization and individual employers or organizations of employFor example, an agreement adopted by the merchant and journeymen tailors of Springfield, Ill., on April 7, 1900, fixes the prices for making different classes of garments, and for doing extra work, in detail. The employers signing this agreement promise to employ only union workmen and not to employ more than one man by the week. The secretary of the Tailors' Union says that it is the policy of the union to obtain written agreements with employers, and that the effects of the custom are excellent. Such agreements are not often violated. The attitude of employers toward the organization is reported as generally friendly. Conciliation and voluntary arbitration are favored by the rules of the union, and hundreds of cases are settled every year by these methods. The union appealed to the State board of arbitration of Illinois in 1900 for help in settling a dispute in Chicago, but arbitration was refused by the employers.

The secretary of the Garment Workers of America, an organization including many unions of less skilled workers, reported in October, 1900, that the organization had written agreements with 92 manufacturers, employing 12,000 members. Experience had been favorable to the use of such agreements, and there had been no important violations or evasions of them. They usually provide for the exclusive employment of union men, and the use of the union label. The organization