The Great Anti-Union Combine: Spokane’s Elite Plot to Crush Labor
In November 1902, local merchants and manufacturers met in secret to form an 'Employers' Association,' aiming to present a united front against the growing power of labor unions.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
A determined effort is being made among the merchants, manufacturers and contractors of Spokane to form a combine against the labor union movement and to present a united front against labor in the form of an 'Employers' Association.'
Preliminary Meeting. A preliminary meeting was held last Friday, which was attended by 16 of the leading employers, and the situation discussed. Another meeting will be held tonight and it is expected to be more largely attended than the previous meeting as an active canvass has been organized.
Employers Sounded. Nearly all large employers in Spokane have been sounded on the advisability of forming the employers' association, and, while many heartily endorse the spirit, a surprisingly small number has been found who will openly avow themselves as opposed to labor. The canvassing committee went still further annoyed to find a large percentage of employers who not only were not opposed to unions, but actually in favor of them.
Not discouraged by this showing, the organizing committee is still active pushing its work.
This 1902 report captures the intense class warfare that defined the early 20th century, where business leaders felt compelled to organize collectively just to counterbalance worker solidarity. It mirrors modern debates over 'right-to-work' laws and the ongoing tension between corporate consolidation and labor rights in Washington State's tech and logistics sectors.
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