Labor Unions Struggle to Keep Membership Engaged
Facing a decline in interest, local union leaders look toward national organizers and public lectures to revitalize the movement.
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.
The past week has been very quiet in labor circles. The rain prevented work in several of the building trades and there is no special activity in union matters to even interest the members, much less the public. Indeed, the lack of interest among the members of the various unions is becoming so marked that the head men in these organizations are seriously considering some means of arousing more enthusiasm. The active members of the unions feel that this indifference will lead to the gradual crippling of the unions, as far as their efficiency is concerned, unless something can be done to revive interest. They all agree that a visit from some of the leaders of the movement in the East to give a good sound lecture would be the best means of accomplishing the end in view, and it is not unlikely that a strong effort will be made to induce one of them to come here during the winter. P. J. McGuire, the general secretary-treasurer of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, may be requested to pay a visit to the Sound.
“The active members of the unions feel that this indifference will lead to the gradual crippling of the unions.”
The challenge of keeping union membership engaged during slow economic periods is a historical constant in Seattle. Like today, the 1892 labor organizers were battling against both the elements and a feeling of apathy to maintain the collective bargaining power they had fought to build.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.