The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-05-05
(Continued from page y


Ilished the eight hour day, time
and one-half for overtime, in
creased wages and secured
lproper classification of employ
lees, besides improving the work.
ling conditions 100 per cent.
The present strike of the riveters,
buckers, heaters, filters, reamers, YES
tibule and steel shop car building
forces at Pullman was brought about
by Efficiency and Production Manag-
err" Francis Gum, who attempted to in
crease production by the simple pro-
cess of cutting wages and telling the
men to step harder on the gas. The
fact is that Gum had been let out
by the Pullman Company some time
ago for reasons that were not made
public, but which the employees as
eribe to the fact that whenever
Gum comes around there is always
trouble" due to his inefhciency as an
efficiency shark.
The real causes leading to the sus-
pension of work by the steel shop
carmen can be ascribed to the oper-
alton of the Taylor system, system
of timing each operation with stop
watches and gauging the price or rate
of pay for the whole on the speed de-
veloped by the fastest men.
To develop more and more speed
system of bonus payment to the
bosses is in operation, which gives
them extra pay for pushing their men
to the last ounce, making actual
slave drivers of them.
Some of the younger men have
tried to maintain the pace, but dis
covered that it always meant re-
duction in wages, another scheme to
secure production with absolutely no
consideration for the life of the hui
man being, profit being the main es-
sential
"PuIIman Plan" a Fake Union.
To further enslave the employees,
the management instituted what is
termed the pullman Plan of En-
ployee Representation" at the same
time using every possible means to
prevent any encroachment of bona
fide labor unions, the active men be-
ing intimidated or discharged, while
the notorious black list was swung as
the big club and with some effect.
Under the provisions of the "com
pany plan" President Carry placed
his bosses, foremen, superintendent
and vice presidents in equal numbers
on the employees committees, but per
mitted NO REPRESENTATION
WHATEVER from the employees on
the company committee, which was
appointed by himself and responsible
to only him. It's decisions were final.
President Carry of the Pullman
Company acknowledges the right OF
the men to representation in accord
with the law, but interprets this right
to mean himself as the representative
and final Judge.
He says: THE act passed by Con
gress known as the Transportation
Act, 1920" provides that employers
and employees shall exert every rea
sonable effort to adjust and settle
their differences by conferences be-
tween themselves" and adds that the
company plan has for its object the
Settling promptly and fairly Of al
questions which arise as to wages
working conditions and such Other
matters as may be Of Importance tc
the welfare Of the employees"
Bosses Supervise Meetings.
With the object of setting the EN-
ployes' side of this controversy truth
fully before the public, as well as the
workers, the following facts are ap
pended: By intensive pressure and
loaded ballot boxes the straw bosses
slipped over the adoption of the plar
at a so-called election. Such meet
ings as are held in the shops are
conducted under the direct supervi
sion Of the bosses, denying free ex
preston of opinion by the employees
With the object of creating inter
est in the company plan minor griev
ances were created and the employees
induced to settle them thru the com
mittee. On the question Of wages
however, it was discovered that the
company always adjusted the wage
cuts on sufficient percentage to per
NIT a $3.50 split and still retain a
juicy slice of the employees earnings
Wage Cuts Without Notice.
With the re-advent Of Efficiency
Expert Gum, this pretext was dis
pensed with and wage cuts ranging
from 10 to 40 per cent put into effect
without notice of any kind to the en-