Tuesday, June 7th, the Central Council of the Building Interests met,
and the committee on strikes and grievances, through P. B. Wight, its
chairman, submitted a lengthy report. It defined strikes of two
kinds--general and special. The general strike, which was more frequent,
was a demand by a number of employes, acting in concert, for an increase
in wages, or a change in working rules, or methods of conducting
business, followed by a united refusal to work. A special strike was
concerted refusal to work on a particular job, or for a particular
employer, based on the assumption of a contract between employer and
employe which never existed, and a pretense of a violation of a
contract. A general strike was legitimate, in a business sense. A
special was based on false premises, and was practically an attempt to
regulate an employer's way of doing business by visiting upon him
embarrassment in a temporary stoppage of his business. It was often
settled by the employers paying a "fine" to the offended "union" as a
condition of the men returning to work in a body. This was nothing less
than blackmail, and a receipt of the fine was a criminal act. It was in
the nature of conspiracy. It might be an attempt on the part of the
strikers to obtain some advantage, which might occasion great annoyance
or damage to the employers. Such was the demand of the United Order of
American Bricklayers and Stonemasons on the 29th of April last for a
Saturday pay-day, which was resisted and refused by many employers. The
report then gave a detailed account of the immediate and consequent
results of the strike, with a statement of action taken by all building
organizations to date, showing the manner in which the question affected
all building trades, and resulting in locking out thousands of
well-trained and well-behaved artisans, who obeyed the dictates of the
handful of officials, committeemen, and a small army of walking
delegates, who were to be seen daily at the union headquarters and who
were paid by contributions from men whose dues were really filched from
their wives and children. The report concluded as follows:
We believe that the Master Masons' association has acted with the
purest motives toward their employes, and in the spirit of
self-sacrifice with regard to their own interest. They have gone so
far as to encourage their men to form a union devoted to higher
principles than the rule-or-ruin policy which actuates the present
organization. This may all be well in the future, but it does not
help to do away with the objection of the men to taking up their
tools. A contract for labor differs from a contract for anything
else only in that the confidence of him who disposes of his labor
must be unqualified to the last degree. If the employer appeals to
the man as an individual he must inspire him with confidence in his
representations. If the Master Masons' association intends never
again to recognize the union rules, let it say so in terms so
unqualified that no one can misunderstand it. If the individual
workman fully believes it, he will be only too glad to come out
like a man, and there will be a scramble to see who gets there
first. If the master mason intends to live up to his profession,
let him guarantee his employe work for a stated time--long enough
to convince him that it is more to his interest to go to work than
to cling to his union and stand still. If no one mason feels
confident that he can guarantee steady work, say, for six months,
let the master masons agree among themselves to provide work, so
that, if a man is laid off on one job he can be sure of work on
another where he will not meet with any interference. If the
employer expects his men to work he must guarantee them full
protection in case of interference. But more than all things he
must guarantee his employe that he will never be displaced in
consequence of any future compromise with any labor organization.
If the master masons have faith in the stand they have taken, and
mean to maintain it at all hazards, they will get all the help they
want. If they have any idea that a strike is on their hands to be
settled by compromise with any body of men, they may as well
surrender to the union at once. We do not believe that this
weakness exists among them, but the public and their unemployed
mechanics must be convinced by their acts that they are thoroughly
in earnest--as we believe they are--and that guarantees, such as
have been suggested, will be carried out in good faith to the very
letter, and at all hazards.
The public, which must sustain us or we fall, will then be
convinced that there is no strike, except a strike for right and
justice. And if needs be that the employers must be responsible for
it, let them glory in it as our forefathers did.
There was a strike, as we admit. A strike did we say, for a
Saturday pay-day? It was so called. It was resisted, and the men
who were expected to pay on Saturday have not done so. It was a
strike aimed at the Master Masons' association. It was not for any
great benefit that Saturday pay-day should confer. It was a strike
to show the power of the striker. It was an exhibition of strength
from those whose strength has not been resisted or questioned for
four years; a power which knew no resistance, but which must be
periodically exhibited to make its presence felt. It is that same
power which is still so strong that it makes your mechanics blind
to all your heaven-born principles and deaf to all your promises.
You, gentlemen of the Master Masons' association, and all you who
have nailed our banner of liberty upon your walls, have strength
also. In a battle of endurance you can win, but if you do win by
extermination, then your sin will be greater than the fruit of your
victory. But remember that those who live by the sword, if they die
so living, shall also die by the sword. Your weapon is the olive
branch. Your principles are just. Let your faith be strong, and in
the end you will find your best friends in the camp of your enemy.
The report was signed by P. B. Wight, H. G. Savage and M. W. Powell, who
composed the committee. It was unanimously approved, and a copy was
directed to be sent to the Master Masons' association.