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Perlman, Selig

"A History of Trade Unionism in the United States"


In addition to these and other national organizations, the trade unions
were attacked by a large and important class of local employers'
associations. The most influential association of this class was the
Employers' Association of Dayton, Ohio. This association had a standing
strike committee which, in trying to break a strike, was authorized to
offer rewards to the men who continued at work, and even to compensate
the employer for loss of production to the limit of one dollar per day
for each man on strike. Also a system was adopted of issuing cards to
all employes, which the latter, in case of changing employment, were
obliged to present to the new employer and upon which the old employer
inscribed his recommendation. The extreme anti-unionism of the Dayton
Association is best attested by its policy of taking into membership
employers who were threatened with strikes, notwithstanding the heavy
financial obligations involved.
Another class of local associations were the "Citizens' Alliances,"
which did not restrict membership to employers but admitted all
citizens, the only qualification being that the applicant be not a
member of any labor organization.


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