30,000 locked out : $b the great strike of the building trades in Chicago
John Locke · en
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.