New-York tribune., 1921-02-10
10000 Needle
w Orkers Strike
I'm 1900 Shops
Walk-Out Here Called TO En-
force Standard Condi-
tions and Effect Reorgau.
izatiOn of the Industry
End Expected Next Week
Is, 900 Who Quit i'm sympa-
thy to Return Soon; Phil
adelphia Averts Trouble

More than 10000 garment workers
employed in 1900 plants throughout
Greater New York went on strike yes
terday in response to n call from the
officials of the International Ladies'
Garment Workers Union. The strike
was called to enforce standardized d
working conditions embodied in the
agreement between the union and the
manufacturers which expired last De-
cember. The open shop plays no part
in the dispute.
Benjamin Schlesinger, president, and
Morris Zigmund, first vice president, of
the union, said last night that about
$4,000 of the strikers mostly women,
would be back at work by next week,
as the overwhelming majority Of the
employees were engaged in plants whose
owners had already accepted the
unions conditions. The workers there
unions demands upon those employers
who still refuse to grant them.
Promptly at ten o'clock yesterday
morning the thousands of women and
men employed in the women's dress in
dustry quit their posts and marched
to the various meeting halls. Meetings
we're held throughout the day, ad-
| dressed by various leaders of the
union.
Demand Reorganization
According to Mr. Schlesinger and Mr..
zigmund, the union is taking advan-
tage of the present controversy with
! certain of the employers to bring about
complete reorganization of the wom-
ems garment workers industry.
There are three manufacturers asso-
Citations involved in the dispute.
The Dress Manufacturers Associa-
tion, consisting of 750 employers, en-
ploying about eighteen thousand work
ers, mostly girls, has settled with the
union. having signed an agreement sew
eral days ago. This is to be in force
two years.
The Wholesale Dress Manufacturers
Association has about two hundred
members and is composed entirely of
jobbers who farm out their contracts
to other plants.
The third association involved is the
Dress and Waist Manufacturers As
sociation, with a membership of about
140, employing about 5000 workers.
Many Of these also farm out their work
to other plants.
In addition, there are about 1000 in
dependent manufacturers, employing
about 10000 persons, who belong to no
association of employers.
Sure Workers Will Return
Mr.. Schlesinger was confident that
four-6fths of the employees who quit
yesterday would be back at work by
the middle of next week. He said it
would take some time, however, to
reach settlement with employers en-
ploying the other fifth of the workers.
Those employers, he said, were mostly
members of the Dress and Waist Manu-
facturers' Association. The total NUM-
Der of employees involved would not be
more than 5000, Mr.. Schlesinger said.
Officials of the union declared last
night that the union would not enter
into agreement with the Dress and
Waist Manufacturers Association as a
whole, because, the union leaders al
legged, this association had previously
broken its agreement with the union.
Settlements would be sought with the
members of this association individu-
ally, it was explained.
Mr.. Schlesnger was glad that the