After their breach with the union, the National Founders’ Association and the National Metal Trades’ Association have gone about the business of union wrecking in a systematic way.  They have maintained a so-called “labor bureau,” furnishing men to their members whenever additional help was needed, and keeping a complete card system record of every man in the employ of members.  By this system occasion was removed for employers communicating with the business agents of the various unions when new men were wanted.  The associations have had in their regular pay a large number of non-union men, or “strike-breakers,” who were sent to the shop of any member whose employes were on strike.

In addition to these and other national organizations, the trade unions were attacked by a large and important class of local employers’ associations.  The most influential association of this class was the Employers’ Association of Dayton, Ohio.  This association had a standing strike committee which, in trying to break a strike, was authorized to offer rewards to the men who continued at work, and even to compensate the employer for loss of production to the limit of one dollar per day for each man on strike.  Also a system was adopted of issuing cards to all employes, which the latter, in case of changing employment, were obliged to present to the new employer and upon which the old employer inscribed his recommendation.  The extreme anti-unionism of the Dayton Association is best attested by its policy of taking into membership employers who were threatened with strikes, notwithstanding the heavy financial obligations involved.

Another class of local associations were the “Citizens’ Alliances,” which did not restrict membership to employers but admitted all citizens, the only qualification being that the applicant be not a member of any labor organization.  These organizations were frequently started by employers and secured cooperation of citizens generally.  In some places there were two associations, an employers’ and a Citizens’ Alliance.  A good example of this was the Citizens’ Alliances of Denver, Colorado, organized in 1903.  These “Citizens’ Alliances,” being by virtue of mixed membership more than a mere employers’ organization, claimed in time of strikes to voice the sentiment of the community in general.

So much for the employers’ counter attacks on trade unions on the strictly industrial front.  But there were also a legal front and a political front.  In 1902 was organized the American Anti-Boycott Association, a secret body composed mainly of manufacturers.  The purpose of the organization was to oppose by legal proceedings the boycotts of trade unions, and to secure statutory enactments against the boycott.  The energies of the association have been devoted mainly to taking certain typical cases to the courts in order thereby to create legal precedents.  The famous Danbury Hatters’ Case, in which the Sherman Anti-Trust law was invoked against the hatters’ union, was fought in the courts by this Association.