28 1] COLLECTIVE BARGAINING I49 



ference a time-limit of one year to the life of the agreement, 

 and effectively enforced this demand. The puddlers for 

 the first time in the history of the organization enjoyed the 

 assurance of work continuing for one year at least. This 

 was hailed with delight, and the triumph thus scored has 

 endured to the present. 



Since 1876, then, the agreement has operated for one 

 year, originally from June i to May 31 ; and later, from 

 July I to June 30. The union has, from the very beginning, 

 been insistent that the scale shall terminate in the summer, 

 and not during the winter months when the men are least 

 able to offer effectual resistance to employers' demands. 

 Employers would prefer a long-time agreement — three to 

 five years — since in the history of the agreements there 

 have been few periods of decreasing wages and since they 

 feel that a more settled condition of the trade would obtain 

 under a long term wage contract. The union prefers a one 

 year agreement. 



The constitution of the union stipulates the methods to be 

 used by the workmen in securing the adoption of the gen- 

 eral scales. Any local union desiring a change in the scale 

 must, after a formal vote in its favor, submit it to the 

 national union. The national union, at least six weeks 

 prior to the meeting of the annual convention in May, dis- 

 tributes to the local unions a printed copy of all proposed 

 amendments to the scale. These proposals are discussed in 

 local meetings and delegates come to the convention under 

 instruction as to the wishes of their respective constitu- 

 encies. A wage committee, appointed by the president, 

 considers these proposals, and makes recommendations to 

 the convention. It is decided by ballot what demands are 

 to be made in conference with the manufacturers. A two- 

 thirds vote of the delegates is required to recommend a 

 change in the "base'' of any existing scale. Nominally 

 the convention adopts a scale, but in practice the terms are 

 subject to modification by conference with the employer. 



