Great Lakes Art Database

Marine Review (Cleveland, OH), 16 Apr 1908, p. 22

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22 OPEN SHOP ON THE LAKES At a general meeting of the Lake Carriers' Association, held at the -Co- lonial hotel, Cleveland, on Thursday last, the open shop policy was uncom- promisingly declared for. Ninety-one per cent of the tonnage controlled by the association was 'represented and ; + THE Marine REVIEW "The experience of the ship owners, 'managers and licensed officers for the past years has. demonstrated the ne- cessity of what is referred to as the open shop principle, 'in order to give that control and direction of the ships which is required for the equal good -.. PRESIDENT WILLIAM LIVINGSTONE. (From a photograph taken at the Colonial Hotel last. week.) the action was unanimous. -- Practi- cally every member present, spoke. J. H. Sheadle, vice president of the as- sociation, detailed present conditions forcefully. From what he related it was clear that individual members of the unions had, under cover of the union, abused their privileges: aboard ship and had even declined, to perform their customary work. Obviously such a condition is intolerable. As stated, practically every member __ spoke, Harry Coulby, president and general manager of the Pittsburgh Steamship Co., closing the discussion with un- answerable arguments in favor of an open shop policy. The following tes- olutions were thereupon unanimously adopted: of the owner, the employe of the ships - and the dependent trade. is resolved: "I. That-the owners of ships on And 'so' it _the great lakes do now declare that «the open shop principle be adopted and adhered to on our ships. "2. That the Lake Carriers' Asso- ciation 'stands for the foregoing prin- ciple. : "3. That the matter be referred to the executive committee, with full power to act and carry out this prin- ciple. : "4. That it shouldbe the aim of the committee in the means they shall adopt, recognize a fair and equitable rate of wages, to insist on such regu- lations as shall promote the comfort and well being of the employes, shall put the discipline of the ship in the hands of her executive officers and tendering liberal -appropriate wages and conditions, requiring in response appropriate, diligent and prompt ser- vice from the members: of the crew. "5 And at this meeting, represent- ing 91 per cent of the tonnage of the association, as a definite and specific support to the committee, it is voted to adhere to and observe this action referring also any and all special cases to the committee." No action was taken at the meeting upon any other subject. The spirit prevailing at the meeting was one of absolute fairness to everyone con- cerned. There is no intention to alter wage schedules or to impose onerous conditions upon the men. The own- ers are willing to pay last year's rate of wages, which is the highest that has ever been paid on the lakes. Their only contention is that they shall manage their own property. What the owners resented was the direct inter- ference with the management of the ship by the unions. In some cases this interference has been carried to an wunsupportable degree, though it must be admitted that the action of the offenders would not be count- enanced by the union were it cog- nizant of it. Vesselmen, however, were forced to the conclusion that the only practical way of operating their prop- erty was by the permanent abolition of the closed shop. It now remains to be seen how the matter will work out. From present indications no trouble is anticipated. Prior to the declaration of the Lake Carriers' Association Mr. Coulby had met with the engineers of the Pitts- burgh Steamship Co.'s fleet and had persuaded them to accept positions aboard 'his ships as individuals and not as members of the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association. Exactly what Mr. Coulby said to his men is not known, but the outcome of it was that they all signed individual contracts for the season of 1908. The Marine En- gineers' Beneficial Association was not slow to take action upon this move, and it was at first reported that charges would be preferred against the engineers of the Pittsburgh Steam- ship Co. for violating the rules of the association. Several meetings have been held since by the association, but nothing definite. has resulted. - Of course, the engineers of the Pittsburgh Co. constitute a large element in the

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