The New York herald., 1921-09-26
BOATMEN IN REVOLT,
REN0UNCE A.F.OF l,
LAUNCH new union
Marine Men Repudiate OF.
ficers and Den0mce |.
w. w. and Radicals.
GRAFT CHARGES MADE
Tired Of Arbitrary Strike,
Workers Seek Chance to
Get Employment.
FOR ONE BIG ASSOCIATION
Cheers Greet Announcement OF
Plans to Form Combination
Of All Harbor Workers.
FOR ONE BIG ASSOCIATION

of the Harbor Boatmen's Union met al
q Coenties slip yesterday. repudiated
their officers, renounced the American
Federation of Labor. denounced the
Industrial Workers of the World and
organized the United Harbor Workers
Union, which, they announced, starts
life with 972 local marine workers who
have resigned from the Harbor Boat
men, the Masters. Mates and Pilots
Association and the Marine Engineers
Beneficial Association. They aim to
consolidate all harbor workers in one
big independent union.
Thus was brought to a climax the
internal dissensions that have demor-
allied the strike ridden Harbor Boat
mems Union. On December 27 this
union voted to strike rather than ac-
cept the 1921 agreement rendered har-
Dor workers by the New York Towboa'
Exchange. On January the mem
bers found themselves deserted by
other harborl workers unions, ane
their chance of signing the agreement
denied them. They have continued
since on verbal agreements.
At yesterdays meeting the men de.
clared their present lack of morale due
to leaders who did not further their in
terests. They declared themselves
tired OF arbitrary strike calls and the
consequent loss OF work and wages.
They loudly insisted that they were
Just as much against the Industria
Workers of the World as they wer'
against the American Federation o
Labor. They characterized their Dol
from the old unions as revolt o
workers against business agents, walk
ing delegates and other high saiarie'
labor leaders, whom they accused o
grating and general avarice.
Throw Away Old EmbIems.
To add a dramatic touch to an al
ready extraordinary proceeding. the,
plucked the celluloid and metal insig
MIA of the Harbor Boatmen's Unior
from the lapels of their coats ant
threw them out of the windows. Those
workers possessed of gold badges re
moved them. tossed them into a ha
and passed them over TO Albert Lau'
gel. elected secretary treasurer OF tht
new union, with instructions to have
them melted down and sold, that the
proceeds might go to alleviating the
wants of the marine workers In New
York now unemployed.
ON the pine table in the centre OF tne
room there was a stack OF literature
These leaflets and books set forth tne
principal reason for the United Harboi
workers Union. 1t was recorded thai
certain well paid officials Of the unions
had been retained by employers OF ma
rine labor to furnish the latter with ior-
eien non-union labor and that they hao
fulfilled such contracts.
Another charge was that union on
cials had accepted graft from foreigners
for getting them such jobs. Other ON
cials. the charges proceed, have beer
seeking riches by selling jewelry and
soap while they were supposed TO be
about the affairs of the men. One cir
cular sets forth the charge that several
walking delegates and business agents
have consumed the time for which the
union paid them In conducting roomins
and lodging houses In which members
Of other unions lived. and that 1t was
about time for the unions to fire these
small time bonifaces and found work
ingmen's organizations that would op-
crate in the interests of the members.
They declared themselves organized
on the shop steward system of repre-
sentation and that there would be but
one paid office. that Of secretary-treas-
urer. Moreover, this secretary-treas-
urer Is to receive the pay he would re-
ceive were he working on boat in the
harbor.
Pay Months Dues In Advance.
II was announced that each OF the 9T2
charter members had paid a months
dues In advance and that there were sat.
isfactory assurances that 1000 indie
pendent freight handlers working on the
New Jersey water front would affiliate
with the new organization en- masse this
week.
Thomas Allison. licensed marine
captain. was elected president OF the
United Harbor Workers Union. wher
the meeting adjourned the men picked
up the literature and went out along the
Battery front and up West street prose.
iyting. They distributed their propa.
ganda among hundreds OF idle marine
workers and longshoremen. now and
then holding forth oratoricaIly In favor
OF the abandonment of the old unions
and the growth OF the new Independent
body. There was no trouble.
At flrst II was planned TO call the new
union the Industrial Union OF Harbor
Workers. This, being proposed by an
unima ginative delegate, was howled
down By the rest. They contended that
the one word Industrial" would damn
the project at the start.
1T suggests the l. w. W." yelled one
OF the men, "and we haven't anythins
70 do with the wabbIies."
Although the meeting had been called
by the men of the Harbor Boatmen's
Union, II developed that members Of al
D.