Show iiiiN 11I1 I I II i CIGARMAKERS INTERNATIONAL IIII UNION OF AMERICA IIIIII fc j = jjk = = = = u = = = = f The Cigar Makers union of this city was organized May 15 18S7 Previous Pre-vious to that time most of the cigars manufactured here were made by Chinese Chi-nese who were gradually weeded out and their places filled by white men This charge was brought about by the manufacturers who prefer white men OL account of their superior workmanship work-manship At the time of the organization in this city there was not a sufficient number to apply for a charter from the Cigar Makers Intel national union which difficulty however was overcome over-come by the manufacturers who seethe ing see-the benefit to be derived from 1kh an organization increased theirs their-s so as to get the requisite number num-ber ten to apply for a charter The superior quality of cigars manufactured man-ufactured here and the increasing demand de-mand for homemade cigars increased the membership of the union to forty which number unfortunately has been greatly reduced since the present depression de-pression and the large influx of cheap eastern cigars The Cigar Makers International union of which the local union is a branch is considered by many unionists j union-ists one of hIP strongest and most practical labor organizations in Amerca Space will permit but a brief outline of the history and the objects and alms of this grand organization which principally are the moral and material welfare of its members The National Cgar Makers union was organized or-ganized in 1864 which at a subsequent convention held at Buffalo N Y in 1887 was changed to the Cigar Makers Mak-ers International Union of America From its organization up to 1SSO the International union experienced the vicissitudes and misfortunes which befell be-fell most labor unions of a national character in those years owing chiefly to ignorance and want of courage t among the members At that time also the Internatinnal union was an X organization of defense against the encroachments of the manufacturers only it had not the benevolent clauses in its constitution it has at present which have proven a strong incentive to membership The number of members mem-bers in the International union at present is close to 30000 This represents repre-sents about 65 per cent of the skilled I cigar makers of America People who are engaged in such branches of the industry as cigarette making are not I eligible to membership also those who are engaged in making cigars under those most degrading and brutalizing sweater and tenement house systems which prevail to a large extent in the fCt5 of the east rliW le International union deserves at praIse for the manner in which it cares for its afflicted members If a I member becomes sick or disabled and cannot pursue his usual vocation he received S5 per v eek during such sickness sick-ness or disability A death benefit is paid ranging from 50 up to 550 according ac-cording to length of membership in the organization Should a member be forced to leave his home in search of employment he is assisted from one city where a union is located to another and so on until lie secures employment The amount thus advanced however is only a loan and must be repaid as soon as employment is secured at the rate of 10 per cent of wages earned weekly The amount which can thus be drawn is limited to 20 This was lone to discourage those who have a 1 too great inclination to travel When members are out of work and I p unable to secure any upon application they are paid an outofwork benefit of 53 per week This sum though apparently ap-parently small has proven a great boon to the unemployed especially I I during the present depression The i amount paid by the International I union In tnis oeneiit aione curing me year 1894 was 17451725 It is during panics and serious financial depressions I depres-sions that trade unions suffer mostly their ranks are reduced through the inability of the members to pay their dues Such was the effect upon the International In-ternational union previous to the adoption adop-tion of the outofwork benefit Though the present panic has been one of the most disastrous in the history his-tory of this country the International p union has not only kept its ranks intact in-tact but has materially increased them The following table shows the amount paid in benefits by the International Inter-national union in the last fifteen wars L I g gg i I I j 5 I ai i n n II I I I II i 11 t i cw 00 < = < 001 I I G t I C > I OO > Q > II i f > 8 i w sc s r Q E tj I I c > 9 < OO < > OOO1 < > 3to Q 1 00 t t g J 0 c = oe > = gtwc I tt Oc < O = I I t > I J toO aoC > o > O < CH Q tj i g II I 1 t I Os o02oto 1 r = 1 I 1 i E tj c > < CI to > c co I r i Ig L gt fifii oo QI 4 8 IA I I u i 9 I ti 3A I g5 g j j Total benefits paid 1S94 = = 5 43055532 Grand total of benefits paid 252237840 A strike benefit of 5 per week is aid by the International union to JHiembers on a strike when it becomes ireoessary to esort to such means to adjust a grievance this however only when all means have been exhausted to amicably settle the difficulty through arbitration There seems to be a prevailing opinion among many of the people in this western country more so than in the east that labor unions are organizations principally for the promotion of strikes This is an error which the following rules taken from the constitution of the International In-ternational union will prove When a tinirn has a grievance whether It be r against a reduction or for an increase of wages or for any other nature and all efforts to settle the dispute through arbitration have failed the union in dispute makes application to the International president for support I t stating the cause of the grievance It against a reduction of wages the f oust of the reduction and If ts > r < m 0 lf i r = l < increase likewise The International president in turn submits the application applica-tion to a vote of all the local unions throughout the jurisdiction of the International In-ternational union After careful consideration con-sideration of the application the local unions vote upon it and if a majority deem it just they are granted support if not the same is rejected and support sup-port denied them This law has prevented pre-vented several illadvised strikes and has put an effectual check upon those members who would resort to a strike upon the slightest provocation In 18S6 the International union Inaugurated the eighthour work day among its members being the first large organization in the country to successfully establish the same Since I I the introduction of the short hour day not only have wages increased and I the mental and physical condition of the members improved but a very perceptible advancement morally has I taken place as well These results have been extremely gratifying to the promoters of the short hour movement and a sore disappointment to its enemies ene-mies who invariably deride and regard with suspicion all advancement undertaken under-taken by labor unions The International Interna-tional is in possession of statistics I which would forever quiet the enemies of labor unions and the eighthour I I work day who howl that a decrease of hours of labor means an increase of I time spent in barrooms The man I who Is shut up in a factory ten twelve I or more hours per day and upon whom the sun shines but once a weekon I I Sundayhas no time for selfimprove ment his leisure time must be spent I in regaining strength to perform his labors on the mbrrow Such a man i soon learns the utter helplessness of j I his position becomes discouraged and is very apt to seek relief in drink I On the question of female labor engaged en-gaged in the cigar industry the International I I Inter-national union deserves credit for the stand it has taken in their behalf It I is a wellknown fact that employers in I all branches of industries are loth to pay women the same wages as men for equal labor performed The only reason that can be assigned for such action is that women being weaker and less organized than men can be more easily imposed upon The International Inter-national union seeing the injustice done women under such circumstances and realizing that it must redound to the injury of its members took them into full fellowship and secured for them the same remuneration that men receive a position they could not have secured without its assistance The revenue of the International union is derived by weekly dues of 25 cents and two annual assessments of 50 cents each imposed upon all members mem-bers The assessments however can be increased should a difficulty arise requiring large sums of money which would reduce the sinking fund below the required amount 10 per member The funds are held in common each local union having possession of an amount according to the number of members it has This amount is ascertained as-certained at the annual equalization of all the funds The wisdom of such a policy the wide distribution of the funds can readily be seen It places beyond the power of one man or a dozen should they prove dishonest to appropriate unto themselves sufficient of the funds that would threaten the existence of the organization The I cash in the International treasury on i January 1 1894 was close to half a million dollars This amount was considerably con-siderably reduced during the last year owing to the heavy drafts made upon the treasury to meet the payment of the outofwork benefit The amount of available funds January 1 1S95 was 534078866 = The international executive board consists of a president seven vice presidents and a treasurer who are elected by popular vote for a term of three years The president is required I to reside at the seat of the organization I organiza-tion which at present is located at Chicago The rest of the members of the executive board are located at different dif-ferent places The president has the right to decide all questions of law or regulate any controversy or difficulty that may arise His decisions though In all cases are not final Should a member upon appealing a case to the president feej dissatisfied with the decision de-cision he can then appeal to the executive ex-ecutive board and upon being further dissatisfied can appeal to a popular vote of the members thereby guaranteeing guaran-teeing to even the humblest ran r-an impartial hearing and justice In the enactment of laws for the government govern-ment of the International union a very practical illustration of the initiative and referendum is given No law or resolution passed at the convention can become operative until adopted by a popular vota of the members The initiative is allowed during the intervals inter-vals between conventions and the propositicn upon receiving a majority vote of the members becomes a law The International union in 1880 adopted I adop-ted the trade mark known as the blue label for the purpose of enabling smokers to distinguish union made cigars ci-gars from those made by prison labor and in those abominable rest holes Known as tenement house C bar factories fac-tories No man who values his health and is familiar with the circumstances I surrounding manufacture of cigars in a New York tenement house cIgar I factory would voluntarily consume j one Cases have been discovered where families numbering as high as eight live and work in a single rcom midst such surroundings of squalor and filth as to baffle description It was to protect the public principally from such cigars that he blue label trade mark was adopted The International Inter-national union labored incessantly for years to have a law passed in the state of New York prohibiting the tenement house cigar factory and with the assistance as-sistance of trades unions in general succeeded in having such a measure adopted The unscrupulous manufacturers manufac-turers whose incomes were reduced by the passage of this law appealed to the supreme court and unfortunately for the miserable wretches engaged in the tenement house cigar factories and the public the law was declared unconstitutional The success attending the introduction introduc-tion of the blue label and the benefit bene-fit thereby accruing to the International Interna-tional union far exceeded the most hopeful and to further bring it before the public vast sums of money were spent in advertising The exact amount thus spent is not attainable though a million dollars would be a fair estimate A great many manufacturers of cigars ci-gars who were refused the use Q tlh label owing to the extremely low wages paid in their establishments began to counterfeit the label and atone at-one period to such an extent that it appeared all energy and money spent advertising was lost The courts refused to protect the label which ac i tion encouraged the counterfeiters and it was not until special laws were passed In the different states protecting protect-ing trades union labels was the crime of counterfeiting checked Such a law was passed at the last session of the Utah legislature I have thus briefly sketched the history and achievements of the International In-ternational union and the sketch would be incomplete were not mention made of several whose devotion to the cause unswerving fidelity and ability have so largely contributed to its success No one stands higher in the estimation estima-tion of his fellow craftsmen or deserves de-serves greater praise than Mr Adolph iStrasser who was president of the International union for a period of fourteen years Under his fostering care and guidance the International union emerged a few struggling locals lo-cals and developed into one of the grandest labor organizations of the day international in its proportions Every benevolent feature in the International I Inter-national constitution to which the success of the organization is largely due Sir Strasser was the first to advocate and that too I in the face of such opposition as would have discouraged one less zealous As a labor leader and one I thoroughly conversant with the trade union movement he has few equals I and none superior Mr Strasser is a I man of rare ability among workingmen working-men and though not so widely known i I as some labor leaders his name is inseparably connected with many advancements j ad-vancements and reforms which have brought trades unionism in this country to its present standard I I Others who will deserve the gratitude i I of their felow draftsmen for their wise council and ability in the management of the International union are Samuel Gompers second vicepresident and George W Perkins president of the I i International union j i In conclusion permit me to say to the unorganized workingmen of this city if you have but 25 cents a week to spare and are seeking an investment for that amount invest it in a trade union Nothing will yield you surer or larger returns Trades unions are no longer an experiment they are a necessity I neces-sity born of that first instinct self preservation With opportunities constantly I con-stantly diminishing and fierce heartless i heart-less competition ever on the increase I it is rational to predict that at no great future day the unprotected workingman work-ingman will be reduced to the most servile slavery I JOHN H HIANHAUSER |