Women labor union members; Women labor union members -- United States
Just then a printers' strike occurred and Miss Anthony thought she saw
in the need of labor on the part of the employers an opportunity to
get the employers to start training-schools to teach the printing
trade to girls, in her enthusiasm for this end entirely oblivious of
the fact that it was an unfortunate time to choose for making such a
beginning. She attended an employers' meeting held at the Astor House
and laid her proposal before them.
The printers felt that they were being betrayed, and by one, too, whom
they had always considered their friend. On behalf of organized labor
Mr. John J. Vincent, secretary of the National Labor Union, made
public protest.
Miss Anthony's reply to Mr. Vincent, under date February 3, 1869,
published in the New York _Sun_, and reprinted in the _Revolution_, is
very touching, showing clearly enough that in her eagerness to supply
the needed thorough trade-training for young girls, she had for the
moment forgotten what was likely to be the outcome for the girls
themselves of training, however good, obtained in such a fashion.
She had also forgotten how essential it was that she should work in
harmony with the men's organizations as long as they were willing to
work with her. Though not saying so in so many words, the letter is a
shocked avowal that, acting impulsively, she had not comprehended the
drift of her action, and it amounts to a withdrawal from her first
position. She writes:
Sir: You fail to see my motive in appealing to the Astor House
meeting of employers, for aid to establish a training school for
girls. It was to open the way for a thorough drill to the hundreds
of poor girls, to fit them to earn equal wages with men everywhere
and not to undermine "Typographical No. 6." I did not mean to
convey the impression that "women, already good compositors should
work for a cent less per thousand ems than men," and I rejoice
most heartily that Typographical Union No. 6 stands so nobly by
the Women's Typographical Union No. 1 and demands the admission of
women to all offices under its control, and I rejoice also
that the Women's Union No. 1 stands so nobly and generously by
Typographical Union No. 6 in refusing most advantageous offers to
defeat its demands.
My advice to all the women compositors of the city, is now, as it
has ever been since last autumn, to join the women's union, for in
union alone there is strength, in union alone there is protection.
Every one should scorn to allow herself to be made a tool to
undermine the just prices of men workers; and to avoid this union
is necessary. Hence I say, girls, stand by each other, and by the
men, when they stand by you.
With this the incident seems to have closed, for nothing more is heard
of the employers' training-school.[A]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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