LABOUR ORGANIZATION IN CANADA, 1914.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

Effect of the European War on Organized Labour-Number of Unionists Enlisted for War Service-Four Years of Trade Unionism in Canada-Trade Unionism in Canada by Groups of Industries-Incidents of the YearDecrease in Trades Union Membership-Canadian Trades Unions and the American Federation of Labour-Largest Union Organization in Canada -Trades Unionism in Chief Cities of the Dominion-Local Branch Unions and Membership by Provinces-Non-International Organizations-Delegate Organizations-Organization of Women-Beneficiary Disbursements by Central Labour Bodies.

The fourth annual report on Labour Organization in Canada covers the activities of the organized labour bodies operating in the Dominion during the calendar year 1914.

The event transcending all others in importance during 1914, and leaving its deep mark on every phase of modern life, is the great war in which Canada is one of the many contending nations. The direct effect of the war on Canadian trade union growth has not been favourable. For the first time since yearly figures have been secured respecting trade union membership a decrease is noted instead of an increase, the total membership falling from 175,799 at the close of 1913 to 166,163 at the close of 1914. The decline is a natural consequence of the depressed conditions resulting from war time. It should be mentioned at the outset that Canadian unionists have furnished a substantfal quota to the troops sent to the front. The emigration of recent years had brought to Canada also a good many British reservists, and several hundred of these have returned to their regiments. Returns collected by the department from local branches, though not all local branches supplied the desired information, show that down to the end of 1914 the number of unionist recruits and unionist reservists going to the front from Canada fell just under 4,000, the exact figures being 3,498 recruits and 417 reservists. Additional contributions were made by trade unionists in the case of later contingents, but particulars have not yet been received.

The first chapter of the present report is devoted to a closer discussion of the bearing of the war on various aspects of trade unionism, and contains also the text of deliverances by representative labour organizations in different countries with respect to war in general or having special reference to the present

war.

The chapter contains, for instance, the war manifesto issued by the General Federation of Trade Unions of Great Britain and the pronouncements at their respective conventions in 1914 of the two most important international federated labour bodies on the North American continent, namely, the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada and the American Federation of Labour.

The war has dwarfed all other features of the year in the matter of labour organization, and has perhaps had the effect in some cases of postponing action on points which otherwise would have been considered matters of moment. The report generally is on the usual lines. Whereas however last year a special feature was introduced in the shape of a chapter devoted to an explanation in some detail of the organization system of the railway brotherhoods, the report contains this year a chapter in which will be found a special discussion of organizations embracing miners in both metalliferous and coal industries. In view of the activities of these organizations during recent years, the chapter should prove of particular interest.

Two charts are introduced into the present report, one showing at a glance the standing for several years of trade union membership in Canada, the other similarly indicating the relative standing to each other of the various trade groups embraced in Canadian unionism.

Returning to the matter of contributions made by Canadian unionists to the forces sent to the front, it is interesting to glance at the enrolments of the cities and to learn their relative standing in this respect. Toronto leads with 668, Winnipeg follows with 454, Montreal with 331, etc. The numbers of recruits and reservists sent by twenty-four Canadian cities were respectively as follows:

The first chapter of the report gives details by trade groups of the trade union quotas. It is satisfactory to be able to state that local branches have usually taken prompt action in arranging to keep the enlisted members and reservists in good standing and ensuring them payments of benefits. In this way unionism in Canada has but shown itself cordially in sympathy with the rest of the community. The solitary exception is worthy of note and, strictly speaking, is found outside rather than within the ranks of unionism. A local branch of the Industrial Workers of the World informs the department that five of its members who enlisted were promptly expelled from the organization. The I.W.W. is, however, frankly opposed to ordinary trade union methods, and is dwindling in membership both in the United States and Canada.

INCIDENTS OF THE YEAR.

There were various incidents in connection with the proceedings of organized workers during the year 1914 in which the Canadian members of international

bodies were more or less concerned. The ever-present jurisdictional disputes between individual international organizations engaged the attention of the American Federation of Labour at its convention in Philadelphia in November, 1914; several such disputes were adjusted and others were allowed to remain over for further conference between the unions involved. As a means of settling

jurisdictional disputes a recommendation for a board of mediation and conciliation was referred by the convention to the Executive Council of the Federation for consideration and report at the next annual meeting.

One of the more important occurrences was a serious division in the ranks of the United Garment Workers of America, by which a separate organization

of garment workers came into existence. The Tailors' Industrial Union amalgamated with the seceding body, forming what is known as an industrial organization, under the name of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America.

A dispute at the tenth biennial convention of the International Brotherhood of Maintenance-of-Way Employees over an alleged "frame-up" for election of

officers culminated in the withdrawal of a number of delegates from the convention, who subsequently formed a separate organization. The parent body has an approximate membership in Canada of 9,000, besides retaining a considerable membership in the United States. The new organization has most of its membership in the United States, claiming, it is reported, but seventy-three Canadian members.

Against these new divisions may be placed the fact that the dissension which for a number of years has existed in the ranks of electrical workers has been terminated, and both factions are now working under one head; also an amalgamation of steam shovel workers' unions was effected, and crafts engaged in railroad shop work were consolidated.

TRADE UNION MEMBERSHIP IN CANADA.

As already mentioned, the report records a loss in trade union membership for the first time since the issuance of these reports. At the close of 1914 the numerical strength of the organized labour bodies in the Dominion stood at 166,163. The estimated membership at the end of each of the past four years was as follows:

The membership as recorded for 1914 comprises: (a) 134,348 reported as belonging to international organizations; (b) 6,134 (estimated) for seven international organizations which did not furnish separate figures for their Canadian membership, making a reported and estimated international membership of 140,482; (c) 20,935 trade union workers affiliated with non-international organizations; and (d) 4,746 members of independent bodies. According to these figures, there were losses in international membership, as compared with 1913, of 9,095, and in independent bodies of 1,261, as against a gain of 720 in membership of non-international organizations, leaving a net loss for the year of 9,636. Notwithstanding the loss in international membership, international trade unionism remains at present the preponderating factor in organized labour in Canada. In regard to local branches of central organizations, the international branches were reduced by eighteen, the non-international gained five, and the independent units lost one, making a total loss of fourteen branches. At the close of the year the standing of local units were: international, 1,774; non-international, 196; independent, thirty-three.

CANADIAN TRADES UNIONS AND THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOUR.

Information collected shows that, there are, including the American Federation of Labour and the Industrial Workers of the World, 146 central trade union organizing bodies operating on the North American continent. Of these, 110 are in affiliation with the American Federation of Labour, and ninety-one have local branches or members in Canada, while of the thirty-four bodies not affiliated with the American Federation, 11 have Canadian affiliations. The ninety-one international organizations having affiliations in the