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Perlman, Selig

"A History of Trade Unionism in the United States"


FOOTNOTES:
[101] The struggle for control, as carried on by trade unions, centers
on such matters as methods of wage determination, the employer's right
of discharge, hiring and lay-off, division of work, methods of enforcing
shop discipline, introduction of machinery and division of labor,
transfers of employes, promotions, the union or non-union shop, and
similar subjects.
[102] The first trade societies were organized by shoemakers. (See
above, 4-7.)
[103] See Chapter on "American Shoemakers," in _Labor and
Administration_, by John R. Commons (Macmillan, 1913).
[104] See Don D. Lescohier, _The Order of the Knights of St. Crispin_.
[105] See above, 114-116.


CHAPTER 13
THE IDEALISTIC FACTOR

The puzzling fact about the American labor movement is, after all, its
limited objective. As we saw before, the social order which the typical
American trade unionist considers ideal is one in which organized labor
and organized capital possess equal bargaining power. The American trade
unionist wants, first, an equal voice with the employer in fixing wages
and, second, a big enough control over the productive processes to
protect job, health, and organization.


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