EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATIONS, com binations of business establishments for the pur pose of dealing with or fighting labor organiza tions. They are a special form of capitalistic organization, exclusive of those general com binations (see COMBINATION, INDUSTRIAL) which have been formed to advance the political, commercial or legal interests of employers. Their history follows the history of trade unions — they have been weak or strong ac cording to the strength of the unions. Two distinct types of employers' associations prevail (1) bargaining associations; (2) hostile asso ciations. The former recognize the unions while the latter are opposed to every form of collective bargaining.
The bargaining associations aim to check the abuses and excesses of organized labor by en deavoring through deliberation and discussion to work out some system of agreement with their employees. The employment of labor is 'treated as a simple business proposition. The first employers' association of national im portance of this type was the United States Potters' Association formed in 1875. The Stove Founders' Association formed in 1886 stimulated similar organizations in all branches of that industry. By 1905 national employers' associations representing the stove and furnace making, metal foundry work, lake transporta tion, machine construction, publishing and print ing, marble cutting and ready-made clothing industries were successful in making working agreements with employees. Employers' asso ciations have been steadily on the increase. Their organization is essentially similar to that of the unions. They have local bodies with national federations, and nearly all maintain employment agencies, secret service depart ments (analogous to the walking delegate sys tem) ; control the members who are forced to agree to measures adopted by the central or ganization; issue publications; and have a de fense fund.
The class of hostile employers' associations is a comparatively recent development and represents the counteraction of the forces of ag gressive industrial unionism. In many cases the associations were first formed for the pur pose of negotiating joint agreements with the unions, but after the failure of negotiations or the brealcdown of an agreement, they assumed their present form. In some cases associations which have been hostile have resumed rela tions with unions.
But there is a strong tendency for an or ganization of this type to develop exclusive principles and policies which make an agree ment with the unions impossible. Their plat form shows absolute disagreement with unionist principles. They insist that the conditions of
employment shall be determined by the indi vidual workman and the individual employer. This generally means that employers, either as an association, or, in many cases, as individuals, have the right to dictate the terms of employ ment and of disc.harge. Discrimination is made either against all union workers, or else their number is so limited as to prove in effective in agitation. Any indication of spread of unionist principles is watched for and in stantly suppressed. They deny the privileges of boycott, strike, etc., but do not hesitate to seek redress in event of such crises by em ploying strike brealcers and spies. This extreme form of 'hostility takes on a highly anti-social aspect. But the more enlightened employers of the hostile associations have begun to realiee the vast psychological problems underlying un rest and opposition of laborers; and they at tempt to change conditions where there is evi dence of dissatisfaction. They also endeavor to ameliorate affairs by p:rofit-sharing and wel fare systems, safety devices and offering op portunities for advancement. This minimizes the advantages of unionism and secures satis factory results. A striking example of this type of reform was evinced by the voluntary introduction of the eight-hour law into the Western Union Telegraph Company in 1917. Among noteworthy hostile employers' associa tions may be mentioned the National Associa tion of Manufacturers (q.v.) and the Citizens' Industrial Association of America.
The wealcness of the first type of employers' association lies in the fact that a considerable number of employers, though accepting results of collective bargaining, do not belong to the associations and thus lessen the force of bar gaining power. The United States government through its Board Of Mediation and Concilia tion recognizes the fact that agreements made between employers' associations and trade unions form a basis for settling trade problems which is equitable, elastic and intrinsically democratic. Consult Hollander and Barnett,