285] COLLECTIVE BARGAIXING 153 



in the scale to the officers of the company for adoption, and 

 informal conferences for discussion of the terms were held. 

 If an agreement was not reached, the case was referred to 

 the district executive committee of the union, which con- 

 ferred with the manufacturers. In case of failure to sign 

 a scale before June 20, all departments of the establishment 

 ceased work at that time. 



The Association has consistently adhered to the principle 

 of conciliation, and opposed the method of settling disputes 

 arising under the agreement by arbitration. The makers of 

 the original constitution provided for arbitration, but the 

 convention in 1876 provided for settlement by "concilia- 

 tion."^^ The officials of the union have repeatedly main- 

 tained that conciliation was the only equitable method of 

 reaching a settlement, because no outsider understood con- 

 ditions as well as the two parties involved. 



All disputed questions are settled, if possible, in the mills 

 in which they arise. These matters are taken up with the 

 management by the mill committees, usually composed of 

 three members, who represent the workmen in the different 

 branches of the trade. If the dispute cannot be adjusted 

 by the local committee, it is referred to the district executive 

 board. Such questions usually relate to the wage scale or 

 to trade usage. There must be no suspension of work 

 while the committee has the matter under consideration. 

 All decisions of the executive committee are binding until 

 reversed ; neither can an employer refuse to continue any 

 one in his employ under the conditions laid down, nor can 

 any workmen refuse to continue at work on those terms. 



35 Article i, section 2, of the original draft read: "The objects of 

 this Association shall be to obtain by arbitration, or by other means 

 that are fair and legal, a fair remuneration to the members for their 

 labor. ..." The idea of arbitration being obno.xious to the dele- 

 gates, the word "conciliation" was used in lieu of "arbitration." 

 The early Puddlers' union, it would appear, did not opi>ose certain 

 methods of arbitration (Vulcan Record, 187^, no. 10, p. 33; 1873, 

 no. 12, p. 20) ; but tlic Amalgamated has been decided in its oppo- 

 sition (National Labor Tribune, September 23, 1883, p. 4, col. i; 

 May 31, 1884, p. 4, col. i; December 25, 18S6, p. 4, col. i; July 16, 

 1887, p. 4, col. 4). 



