COLLECTIVE BARGAINING 153 



stronger organization, the Milk Producers' Association 

 had appeared, however, to carry on the work which 

 had first caused the formation of an association, and in 

 June, 191 1, the union was dissolved.^ 



The Milk Producers' Association was organized in 1909 

 for the purpose of "improving the conditions under which 

 milk is produced; improving methods of marketing and 

 co-6peratifig therein; standardizing the product; generally 

 doing such other things as may be necessary to improve 

 the quality, reduce the cost of production, increase the 

 return to the producers, and to do all things necessary 

 therefor." ^ The passing of an ordinance requiring that 

 all milk brought into the city of Chicago be from tuber- 

 culin tested herds or be pasteurized was the immediate 

 cause of the formation of the organization. It was able 

 to defeat a somewhat drastic tuberculin test measure 

 introduced in the legislature, and in 191 1 succeeded in 

 getting a law passed denying any city, municipality, or 

 corporation the right to demand the tuberculin test. 

 There have been numerous price controversies, though 

 the companies have usually been the stronger bargainers. 

 In the spring of 1916, however, the farmers demanded 

 $1.55 per hundredweight, whereas the dealers were offer- 

 ing but ^1.33. On April i the producers called a "strike," 

 which lasted until April 7, at which time the dealers gave 

 in. Considerable milk had been shipped in from outside 

 the regular milk district, but the farmers within the dis- 

 trict had the situation so well in hand that the dealers 

 were compelled to acknowledge defeat. The unusually 

 successful outcome of the strike of April gave a great 



' Milk News, June, 191 1. 



* Amended By-Laws and Amended Constitution, Milk Producers' Association 

 Year Book, 1917. 



