1573 GOVERNMENT 2$ 



the members are obliged to join the lodge relating to the 

 department in which they are employed. This regulation 

 keeps the separate local unions intact, with a more or less 

 homogeneous membership. 



The limitation on the size of the local unions has two 

 advantages. In the first place, the reduction of the size of 

 the general meeting lessens the chance of ill-advised legis- 

 lation. Secondly, since the local unions in each mill must 

 act in concert, the decision of important matters must be 

 referred to a joint committee — the district or executive 

 committee. It is obvious that a general meeting composed 

 of over a thousand members, such as there were in the 

 Jones and Laughlin Mills in 1890, could not carefully and 

 wisely pass upon affairs of importance. 



The general meeting is a crude mechanism for rendering 

 judicial decisions and for transacting executive business. 

 In the period between regular meetings matters are con- 

 stantly arising which demand immediate consideration. 

 This defect is somewhat lessened by the creation of certain 

 committees, although the local union is reluctant to dele- 

 gate its functions. Many committees are appointed for 

 particular purposes. Certain standing committees have 

 also emerged, the most important of which is the mill com- 

 mittee. The national union has adopted rules requiring the 

 subordinate lodges to create such committees, " consisting 

 of three members, on each turn, from each department rep- 

 resented in the lodge." It is the duty of the committee " to 

 superintend and guard the interests of the Association in 

 their several departments " and to adjust, if possible, all dif- 

 ficulties which arise between the manager of the works and 

 any member or members of the union.^ Two other stand- 

 ing committees of the local union are the grievance com- 

 mittee and the auditing committee. The former considers 



" In 1912, in order to facilitate the work of the mill committee, 

 local lodges were authorized to draw up shop rules, which were to 

 be submitted to the management for approval. These rules were to 

 rcRulatc conditions not covered by the scale or the constitution 

 (Proceedings, 1912, p. 9825). 



