turers in their third demand to ask for protection against such action.

The attitude of the union officials at this Pressed Ware conference was distinctly that of the aggressor taking advantage of the improved economic conditions. Their proposals involved a reduction in the moves of twenty per cent.; the payment for all spoiled ware not due directly to the workmen; the establishment of a rule of seniority; the reduction of a turn's work to four hours and a twenty-five per cent. advance in all wages in the department. With a deadlock on the matter of wages after both sides had made slight concessions in their original demands, the conference came to an end after the adoption of the resolution of the manufacturers reaffirming the supremacy of the conference rules over those made by the local organizations, and the reference of the three-shift controversy to a committee. "Just before the Press conference adjourned we, (the union representatives), presented a motion providing that the present wage scale continue until the first Monday in September, 1923. The manufacturers expressed themselves in opposition to the motion. . . . However, the position of your officers is that the wage scale of 1921-22 shall continue in effect until the first Monday in September, 1923, unless it is changed at some subsequent conference." 13

The arguments and the results of the joint conferences in the other departments were practically the same. In every case the demand for the discontinuance of local rules not in harmony with the conference agreements was granted by the union. The requests for the three-shift system in the Punch Tumbler and Stem Ware and the Machine Press departments were referred to committees of the parties concerned-which at a later date through failure to agree prevented the change. No wage increases were conceded by the employers except in the Lamp Working department which had taken heavy losses during the depression-and the workers in all the departments were instructed to continue working on the 1921-1922 18 Ibid., p. 1793.

wage scale. Other changes in working conditions or rules were either withdrawn or defeated. The result of the conferences was distinctly to the advantage of the union, for the longer the settlement of wages could be postponed the more accentuated the business revival would probably become. Consequently, the employers might be expected to change from demanding penalties to acquiescing in the continuation of the present agreements, or even to conceding gains. The continuation of the terms of the 1921-1922 agreement when the conferences of 1922 failed to come to an understanding was according to precedent.14

Because of the influence of departmental agreements and machinery, as has been previously explained, there was no marked difference between the 1921 and the 1922 demands of the manufacturers in the flint glass industry upon their union employees. It is to be noticed, however, that the requests for wage reductions in 1922 had a lower range, from ten to twenty per cent., than similar requests in 1921 which were from twenty to twenty-five per cent. At the 1922 joint conferences the outstanding characteristic of the manufacturers' proposals was the absence of any reference to a lengthening of turns or an increase in hours. With the union on the other hand there was a change from the defensive to the offensive. This tactical shift was expressed in demands for wage increases, a reduction of the moves and hours of work, the return of the limited system of production and relief from the extra work attached to some of the molding jobs. On the whole one might say that there was no change during the period of years from 1916 to 1922 in the type of the demands made upon the union by the manufacturers-it was rather a fluctuation in the intensity of insistence on the same demands, moderate during the inflation and severe during the depression.

14 Letter to writer from President W. P. Clarke, A. F. G. W., dated March 13, 1923.

CHAPTER VII

THE NATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF OPERATIVE POTTERS

The jurisdiction of the National Brotherhood of Operative Potters includes the general ware and the sanitary pottery branches of the industry. Although the union may not, perhaps, be termed industrial in its structure, its jurisdiction in the individual plants extends over enough types of employees to insure complete control of production. The membership includes "all persons, male and female, who are connected with any of the branches of the trade represented in the National Brotherhood of Operative Potters and not under the age of sixteen years providing such persons are of sober and industrious habits." 1 The number of members is approximately 9,700, the general ware branch being the larger of the two with 7,200.2 The agreement between the general ware workers and the majority of the employers as represented by the United States Potters' Association is made biennially in the odd years; that for the sanitary trade is drawn up in the even years with those manufacturers who form the Sanitary Potter's Association. For the individual manufacturer who is not a member of either of the above employers' associations, the union uses these two conference agreements as the basis for all negotiations. There is usually a provision for the reopening of the departmental agreements such as the following in the agreement with the Sanitary Potters' Association. "In the event of any unforeseen general condition arising in the trade which in the judgment of either party to this agreement is affecting their general welfare and merits special consideration, they shall upon thirty days notice setting forth specifically the subject or subjects they desire considered be granted a special conference to consider said subjects only." After such a conference the origi

1 The Constitution, N. B. P. O. P., 1920, sec. 166.

"The Potters' Herald, Sept. 21, 1922.

Wage Scale and Agreements, April 15, 1920; General Rules, p. 87.

nal terms of the agreement continue unless they are revised by mutual consent.

Period prior to the depression. The joint conference between the Operative Potters and the Potters' Association for the general ware branch of the industry met on September 3, 1919, and formed a new agreement to run from October 1, 1919, to September 30, 1921. It was with some difficulty that the union at this conference succeeded in gaining a general wage advance of even five per cent. with a slightly larger percentage for a few of the positions considered relatively underpaid. The industrial quietness of 1919 had not yet given way to the short time inflation of 1919-1920. There was included in this agreement a provision that the question of wages could be reopened by January 1, 1920, if the cost of living had so increased as to justify a change. Advantage was taken of this provision by the union, and in a special conference with the manufacturers in January, 1920, an additional increase in wages of ten per cent. was granted by the employers, bringing the general range of advances from thirtyfive to sixty-five per cent. above the base scale of 1915. The new rates became effective on January 25, 1920, with the provision that there should be no further revision for six months, and none after that unless there be a "pronounced and radical change in labor and living conditions."

The 1920 convention of the Operative Potters held in July adopted a resolution to the effect that the general ware branch of the union should again request the manufacturers to increase the wage scale. A joint meeting in the latter part of the month brought out strong opposition to any change in wages. The manufacturers claimed that the rates at that time were not only equal to the increase in living costs, but were also sufficient to make the pottery workers one of the highest paid groups of American labor. The representatives of the workers refused to accept the statement of the Labor Committee of the manufacturers' association, and succeeded in arranging another meeting for the middle of August. Although the employers again held that there was no warrant

for a wage increase at that time, nevertheless, they offered a scale of wages increasing the prices of the piece workers from thirteen to fifteen per cent., and in wages of the day workers five per cent. These wage increases became effective September 15, 1920.

During this period there was no change in working conditions, as it was understood that wage revisions were to be the only subject for discussion at the special joint conferences. Even in 1919 no appreciable gains were made by the union, for as has been mentioned, the regular joint conference was held at a time of mild industrial depression.

In the sanitary branch of the industry the Operative Potters and the employers in their regular joint conference, October, 1918, made an agreement which allowed an increase of five to fifteen cents on piece work. The conferees failed, however, to come to an understanding upon improvements in working conditions, though the union did gain the concession that the turners should have "the right and first preference of following their work to the machine." Scarcity of unskilled labor, according to the manufacturers' committee, made it impossible to grant relief to the workers which would necessitate the use of extra laborers.

The 1918 agreement did not end until October 31, 1920, but changes in economic conditions opened the way for three modifications during that period. In June, 1919, the manufacturers in a special joint conference with the union agreed to a wage increase of twelve to fifteen per cent. in addition to the twenty-five per cent. bonus then being paid. Another request for a wage increase in the latter part of the year, September, met with a refusal, but upon renewed pressure a second special joint conference was called for the last of January, 1920. Even though the manufacturers at this conference granted a wage increase of ten per cent., the workers expressed such strong dissatisfaction that their representatives secured a third meeting with the employers at which an additional five to ten per cent. raise in the piece rates and a minimum, day rate of $8.75 was conceded to the union.