Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1922-09-29
PRINTERS HOLD
CONVENTION AT
ATLANTIC CITY
lBv Federated Press1

tBy euefateu IIesa1
Atlantic City, n. J.--Sueeessiye de-
feats have been administered by the
conservative faction in the lnterna-
tional Typographical union TO the pro-
gressive element, led by President
John Mcfarland, at the 9th conven-
ton of the organization here. The
first occurred when the international
Printing Freshmen and Assistants
Union of North America and the In
ternational Photographers union
blocked the movement to bring about
closer affiliation between the five
printing crafts organizations compos-
ing the |. T. L.
The amalgamation, or reeonstruc-
ton of the various printing crafts,
was authorized at the Quebec conven-
ton of the /. L. L., and was to have
embraced the compositors, the book
binders, the pressmen, the photoen-
gravers and the stereotypers, with a
combined membership of about 49,
900.
The second victory of the conser-
vatives, led by James M. Lynch, form
er president of the |. I. u, came when
a proposal was defeated l72 to 80,
which would have extended the A
hour week movement into other
branches of the industry than the
commercial printing shops. This mo-
ton provided that in daily newspaper
offices a weeks work should be not
more than AZ hours; in weekly news
paper offices and commercial offices
weeks work should not be more than
al hours, and that in daily newspaper
offices operating commercial depart
ments where journeymen are required
to work in both newspaper and COM
mercial departments, not more than IA
hours should constitute a weeks
work.
These set backs were followed, how
ever, by a minor victory for the pro-
gressives, by which the convention
voted a change in the unions bylaws
as result of which sympathetic
strikes by local unions with respect
to strikes by affiliated workers may
be ordered by a majority of the ex-
executive council of the |. T. u, in
stead of by the unanimous consent
heretofore required.
The project for one union of all the
printing trade crafts was fully in
dorsed by the international Brother
hood of Bookbinders, while the Inter-
national Stereotypers' union declined
to join an industrial union but favored
closer cooperation between the var
ious printing trades organizations.
A joint communication attacking
the one-union proposal was read from
George l.. Berry, president, press
mems union land Matthew Vol, presi-
dent, photographers union and a
vice president of the A. +. of l..
On the other hand, Walter Reddick,
bookbinders' union in a letter to Presi-
dent Mcfarland, declared:
"The printing trades as well as all
organized labor will form eventually
into industrial groups, not as mat
ter of choice, but because of neces-
sity."
The report of President Mcfarland
set forth that the nationwide strike
of printers in commercial shops for
the rty-four-week, which has been
conducted at an expense to the union
of more than $10,500,000, has been
virtually won, there being now fewer
than 5000 men ON the strike pay roll
The struggle has been on for thirteen
months, and it has resulted in the at
tainment of the 44-hour week by 51S
unions with more than $1,000 mem
bers, in addition to eight mailers' un.
ions with a membership of more thar
| 1000.
The convention at its concluding
session reversed its former stand and
voted to participate in the conference
for labor political action which will be
held in Chicago in December. This
conference has been called ito adopt
such principles and policies as may be
decided upon to safeguard the inter
ests of the American people"
The next convention of the Inter
! national Typographical union will b,
in Atlanta.