TABLE IV. -Continued.

Showing Number of Organizations, by Industries, and Membership.

*Full membership not reported.
†Membership made up of delegates from other organizations.

THE STATE FEDERATION OF LABOR.

The State Federation of Labor is a delegate body composed of delegates from the various labor organizations of the state, the ratio of representation being one delegate to every twenty-five members, or major fraction thereof; no organization to have more than five delegates and every organization to have at least one. The federation was organized July 7, 1890. Its object is the achievement of the interests of the labor bodies of the state as a whole. It pays special attention to legislative matters affecting industrial affairs. Its conventions are held annually, and between conventions the general work is left to a federation council of five members, who are elected annually. The objects of the federation, as stated in its constitution, are: The encouragement and formation of trades and labor unions; the encouragement and formation of local amalgamated trades and labor councils; the promotion of state, national and international trade and labor union alliances; the encouragement of harmony and joint action between the industrial and agricultural wageworking classes, and to secure state and national legislation favorable to the interests of the industrial classes.

The names and addresses of the present officers of the Federation follow:

Officers-President, M. E. Neary, Minneapolis; First Vice President, Lenore Michaelson, Minneapolis; Second Vice President, A. I. Mundahl, Red Wing; Secretary-Treasurer, W. E. McEwen, Duluth.

Federation Council.-E. B. Lott, Chairman; H. W. Goetzinger, Secretary, St. Paul; J. B. Morrison, John Klaus, J. Gieske.

ORGANIZED LABOR STRIKES.

The strikes reported by the organized labor of Minnesota for the twelve months ending June 1, 1900, have not been of a character to attract general public attention. Those having occurred have been of a limited scope, with only local and transient effect, involving comparatively few people, and in most cases being of short duration.

It is noticeable that recourse to this formidable weapon of organized labor is no longer had with the same alacrity as in years past. Experience has shown that the strike invariably inflicts some injury to the striker, as well as to the party towards whom directed; it has therefore been found wise to carefully weigh consequences, and to seek by arbitration and otherwise to attain the desired object before resorting to a strike. Cooler heads and wiser council than those which characterized the leadership of labor organizations in their early history govern the movements of these bodies, and the consequence is that, while no less is being accomplished than formerly in the way of righting grievances, suppressing wrongs and adjusting differences, these matters are more and more being brought about without bluster and with the minimum amount of friction.

In the list of strikes which follows those in which existing labor organizations have had no share are not included. It will be found that those here recorded have nearly all been for the purpose of forcing wages to a point consistent with the increased cost of living, and it is gratifying to note that they have been successful in nearly every instance, and this, too, with little or no disturbance to the business involved.

BOOKBINDERS.-The organized bindery girls of Minneapolis (employed in printing offices), in November, 1899, demanded increased pay and a nine-hour day at ten hours' pay. The demand was conceded, and a contract signed for five years.

BOXMAKERS. Strike, March 28, 1900, caused by the employment of non-union men in a St. Paul factory. Amicably settled, April 5, 1900.

BRIDGE BUILDERS. - Small difficulty at Minneapolis on account of employment of non-union men. Only few days' loss of time. Union victorious.

CARPENTERS.- One strike of ten men at Duluth lasting three days. Demand of the union conceded by the employers.

CIGARMAKERS. -Strike at Rochester to enforce eight-hour law. Little time lost and issue won. Also, at Minneapolis in September, 1899, involving twelve members and lasting two weeks, caused by demand for increased wages. Settlement satisfactory to union.

COOPERS.-Strike at Minneapolis in May, 1899, lasting two weeks and affecting thirty-six men, caused by demand for increased wages. Increase granted.

In September, 1899, the coopers' machine workers, of Minneapolis, demanded increased pay, and were granted same, together with contract for one year.

DRESSMAKERS. - Strike involving 255 members, at Minneapolis, lasting from first part of September, 1900, to latter part of November. Chief grievance: Twelve to sixteen hours' work without extra compensation. Demand: Time and a half after 6 p. m. and double time after 9 p. m. Time and half conceded.

9 p. m. waived by the strikers.

Double time after

FREIGHT HANDLERS.-Increase of five cents per hour demanded by Longshoremen's Union, No. 64, at Duluth, in August, 1899. Increase granted after five days' strike.

MOLDERS (IRON). - Two weeks' strike in Minneapolis, involving twenty-four men, resulting in an increase in wages of thirty per

cent.

Also, strike in St. Paul, caused by failure of employers to adjust wage scale.

Won at end of five days.

PAINTERS AND DECORATORS. -Strike in progress at Duluth at time of securing this information, caused by refusal of thirteen employers to sign wage scale.

PLUMBERS (JOURNEYMEN). - Strike May 1, 1900, of about ninety union members, for enforcement of new wage schedule of $4.00 instead of $3.50 per day, with four hours work on Saturday at fifty cents per hour. Amicably settled a few days later, the

journeymen gaining their point.

PRESSMEN.-Strike at St. Paul, in September, 1899, averted by

arbitration.

Strike for shorter hours by press assistant and job pressmen at Minneapolis during November, 1899, lasting three days. Settled by arbitration between employers' and union committee.

SHEET METAL WORKERS.-Lockout declared by one Minneapolis firm, shutting out twelve men, who, however, were all re-employed within two days by other firms.

STAGE EMPLOYES. --Strike of Twin, City stage employes, caused by unsatisfactory wage scale and discharge of union men. Twentytwo were involved during a period of several months. Finally settled through arbitration, without gain to the strikers.

TAILORS. Several minor strikes and one lockout reported during year by Minneapolis Custom Tailors' Union. In the principal strike, which occurred in November, 1899, and lasted two days, forty men were involved. The cause was a demand for increased rate of pay, which was granted. The lockout involved five men, who were paid weekly benefits by the union until employed elsewhere.

WOOD WORKERS. - On May 1, 1900, 800 organized wood workers of Minneapolis walked out, and made demands for unionized shops, for a ten-hour day, use of the union label, and for a satisfactory scale of wages. while four refused.

Eighteen shops acceded to the demands, At time of reporting the case still remained

unsettled.

WOODEN WARE WORKERS. - Strike against cut of wages at Min-
Strikers victorious at end of week and a half.

neapolis shops.

MISCELLANEOUs. --Building Trades Council of Duluth reports strike in that city, involving carpenters, painters and plumbers, and lasting one week. The strike was brought against an unfair shop, and was won by the strikers.

APPRENTICESHIP.

A synopsis is herewith given of the requirements and regulations governing apprenticeship in the various labor organizations in the

state.

In many instances it will be found that there is little or no difference between the requirements of the apprenticeship and the conditions imposed for admission into the union; that a properly served apprenticeship is one of the chief conditions of membership in the union.

From the number of trades organizations reporting an established system of apprenticeship and from the large number reporting such systems under consideration, or in course of adoption, it is apparent that the present tendency is towards a better mastering of the various trades. The days of amateurs and fledgelings in the various crafts are evidently on the wane, and if the present drift continues for any length of time, we may look forward to the day when the skilled artisan, who has devoted his youth and best years to learning and mastering intricacies of a trade, need not compete in the open market with the raw and incompetent novice who has spent neither time nor money in qualifying himself for the occupation in which he proposes to command wages.

In the following, which constitutes a resume of the reports received from the various organizations, no attempt has been made to go into details of the requirements of each trade or industry, as these requirements vary considerably in unions within the same craft. The chief object has been to show the extent to which an established apprenticeship prevails within organized labor, to point out the trades or industries in which such systems are maintained, and to give an outline of those requirements which are common to all or a majority of the unions within each trade: