The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-12-08
WATCHMAKERS
OF WALTHAM IN
STRIKE TO WIN
Bosses Refuse Workers
Right to Organize
BY ESTHER LOWELL

NEW YORK, Dec. I've won't &c
back until we all go back and Wal
than Watch company recognizes the
union!" emphatically declare Bertha
Fulton, Alma Sicotte and Ruth Wealth.
erby. striking watchworkers from
Waltham, Mass, who are telling New
York labor unions about their fight
for organization. Were fighting for
those who'll come after u.s." It is
tough battle. the girls admit, especial.
ly against the group Of bankers and
brokers controlling not only Waltham
Watch company but Amoskeag Manu-
featuring company and other textile
mills as well as numerous enterprises
of various sorts all over the country.
Will Not Deal with Union.
Altho Frederick G. Dumaine and I
q. Boucher president and superin
tendent of Waltham Watch company,
pretend that they are not against the
principle Of workers organization
they will not deal with the union at
all, the girls assert. I'VE call Du-
maine great organizer" says Mrs.
Fulton, because his action forced us
out and together" The strike of
watchworkers began with a spontane-
GUS walkout in August after another
wage cut had been posted. The
strikers Watchmakers' Protective As
sociation grew out of this first dem
onstration OF solidarity and is now
affiliated with the International Jew.
elry Workers Union.
Strikers Holding out.
Some Of our workers have had to
get odd jobs" say the girls. "The
Watch Manufacturers Association
agreed not to take Waltham strikers
in other factories. Waltham Watch
company has SO year lease for water
power on the Charles river and with
the cotton mill will not allow outside
enterprises to come in so that there
isn't much work in town. But the
strikers are holding out splendidly;
getting along on almost nothing some
Of them. We have to help them get
rooms and give some money for food.
One crippled man who can't work any
where but at his job in the watch fac
tory refused to go back to work when
given a special offer altho he has
wife and two children dependent"
'Waltham workers were never
known to be overpaid." declares Mrs.
Weatherby. Boys in my department.
IL size, are given only 1882 to start
and were cut nearly $1.05." From %
cents to 40 cents an hour is paid for
day work. Dumaine put most Of the
workers on piece work which amount
ed to a wage cut Six months is
needed to learn each job and there
are many intricate, delicate tasks
necessary to make the fine grade
watches that Waltham produces.
Work Nerve WrackIng.
All the job masters are striking,
the girls state, so that the company
cannot train any new workers they
might be able to get. Workers in
other watch factories will not come to
Waltham because the wage scale is
even less than their own. President
Faulkner of the Matchmaker Pro
tective has job prices from Elgin
which show that Dumaine's conten-
ton that he was paying as much as
other watch factories is false. Work
on watch is nerve-wracking, say the
girls, "and Dumaine won't let us get
up from our benches and walk around
bit for trelief as we used to- Bouch-
er wanted the lower halves Of the
windows frosted so that workers could
not look out occasionally to relieve
eye strain. Many workers must wear
glasses.
The Machinists' local in Waltham is
keeping up the picketing with the
strikers The Women's Trade Union
League Of New York is assisting the
Waltham girls and providing escorts
for them in their canyassing Of local
union meetings for funds.