Everett’s Organized Labor Defies the Panic
Despite the financial turmoil of 1907-1908, local unions report strength and steady growth, proving their resilience against employer attempts to drive down wages.
Taking everything into consideration, the unions of this city have every reason to be proud of the showing they have made in the past twelve months. It is a matter of history that financial panics are disastrous to unions. When work is scarce and men plentiful, employers of labor often take advantage of the glutted labor market to force wages down and hours up, and many men lose their courage when there are hungry mouths to feed. However, the workers are learning to hold to their union through all adversity. This fact has been amply demonstrated by the splendid manner in which union men resisted all attempted wage reductions during the forced panic of 1907 and 1908. The unions of Everett came through in creditable shape with very little loss in point of membership or working conditions. There are about thirty unions in the city and not a dead one in the lot. It was feared that the influx of laborers due to the Seattle fair might upset conditions, but this fear proved to be unfounded. Organized labor of Everett has truly much to be thankful for on this Labor Day and a rosy future to look forward to.
“When work is scarce and men plentiful, employers of labor often take advantage of the glutted labor market to force wages down and hours up.”
Everett has a long history as a 'union town,' often defined by the 1916 Everett Massacre. This 1909 report captures the era's optimism regarding labor power as a safeguard against economic instability, a theme that remains central to the city's identity and ongoing conversations about wage gaps.
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