OUR JOURNAL

1, 061 less than in 1912. The financial The total income of the union amount
results were as follows : ed to $1,740, 847. This is $99,885 less
Central Local than in 1912, but still $109,496 more than
Funds Funds in 1911. Of
the net receipts, $10, 905 were
,
Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . $434 606 $208, 512 derived from entrance fees , $1, 728,440
Expenditure . . . . . . . . 334,303 from weekly contributions , $589 from
Balance , Dec . 31 . . . . 978,787 227,682 strike contributions , and $935 from
The cost of the various benefits is sundry sources .
shown below : Ofthe receipts from the local unions ,
Unemployment benefit . . . . . . . . . . . $192,465 $980,918 were sent to the head office and
Victimization benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 550 $ 201,234 were expended on strikes and
Legal assistance . . . 3,502 lockouts . Other benefits were as fol
Strike pay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42,841 lows :
Traveling allowances . . . . ... 5,794 Traveling benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17,711
The German Building Trades ' Union Legal protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 336
had in 1913 an average membership of Victimization benefits . .. 7, 365
326 ,631 , as compared with 335,560 in Sick benefits . . . . . . . . . 244 , 248
1912 . Death grants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 , 364

LABOR UNIONS IN MEXICO

By Marion JOHN ATWOOD .
Strife - torn Mexico is chiefly of in - over

as
to

strike mania that reached

a

terest today because of political diffi tonishing proportions during the months
its

culties yet possesses interest for the of July and August

—

it

problems through
of

student economic The Mexican Herald under date of .

the recent emergence of labor unions July 1911 stated The walkouts have
3,

“
.

to :

Although organized theretofore labor not been confined any particular class
,

unions Mexico were scarcely heard of

in

of

no

employes fact vocation seems

in

,
;

prior
at

The inference
to

1911 once
is

have been immune from the demands

to
.

drawn and correctly

so

that they are for higher wages shorter hours and

,

,
the contemporaries of foreign capitalistic many other concessions At this time
."

enterprise The most prominent labor

of

most the labor difficulties centered

.

unions are those of the railway employes about Mexico City The most important
,

the port
of

of

the stevedores Vera Cruz single strike was that the 000 tram
, . of

2
,
of

and the employes the cotton factories way men of Mexico City With highly
a

of Orizaba and its suburbs all of which developed organization paralleling

in
-

industries are under foreign control every detail the course that would be fol
.

The year 1911 should be remembered lowed similar strike the United
in
in
a

Mexican history as most notable one force the de

in in

States they were able

to
a

the political and economic develop sired concessions from the company after
-

ient of the country With the cessation holding out but five days
:

of the political difficulties men minds

.
,

's

During the latter part July and

of
of

turned number alleged economic

to
a

Early January strike broke

August the center of strike activity
·

abuses
in

of a

the vicinity
of
.

shifted Vera Cruz

to

out among the employes all transpor

.

companies Here the most important strikes were

of

tation the western coast

em
.

of

wages of those the dock workers and the

an

demand for
.

increase
in
A

per ployes of the Waters Pierce refinery

50 cent and reduction of the hours
-

.
a

of labor met with However scarcely any business escaped

,

determined resist
a

The following from

an

attempted strike
the part of the employers
on

ance who
.
,

replaced the disgruntled native labor the Mexican Herald amusingly illustrates
"

"

ers with foreigners This difficulty soon the situation

:
.

lost itself the discontent arising Strikes are brewing everywhere

in

throughout the country connection among the laborers but general the
in
in

with the political changes However people are most concerned the action
in
,
.

with the De Barra government settled of the butchers who threaten

to

close
la

,
tem

power and the political discontent their shops reduction not made
if

is
in

a
-

porarily calmed the country gave itself their taxes They claim the present
in
,