Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 9.djvu/183

 THE UNION LABEL 169

of Labor). If they must pay more for a union-label piece of goods than for a non-union of the same grade, they forget their co-operation and remember their pocketbooks. My trade depends upon the quality of my goods altogether. Rarely do I hear a man ask for the label."

Here, as elsewhere, it seems that the individual lacks the social sense. "Fraternity" and "co-operation" are words that have a charming sound, but he doesn't care to invest any money in them.

VI. BAKERIES AND CONFECTIONERY SHOPS.

The investigation of bakeries brings out the position of women toward the use of the union label on bread. Ten shops were visited, and conditions found as follows :

Strong demand for union label - o shops

Small demand - - I "

No demand - 9 "

Six of these shops were strictly non-union, and sold only their own bread. Four were general confectionery shops, and sold bread, pies, and pastries of several different bakers.

The evidence seems to prove that women are generally apathetic toward the efforts of organized labor to push the union label, at least, the label on bread. Some object to the label being stuck on bread after the manner of a postage stamp on a letter.

Bakers, in their turn, had no objection to the label in itself, provided it was placed on the wrapper of bread, and not on the loaf itself.

A leading baker said, when interviewed: "My bakery is a non-union shop, and has been during my eighteen years of busi- ness. One of my foremen is a union man, and I told him to organize the shop and I would join the union. But the men are all satisfied, get good wages, and so have never organized. About twenty-five per cent, of the bakeries of the city, I should judge, are union shops. Milwaukee people do not want a label stuck on bread ; it doesn't look clean. I tried a private label, but had to give it up."