The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-12-26
AMALCAMATION
is NEEDED IN
NEEDLE TRADES
Rank and File Meet to
Push Movement
BY K. OYSTER.
Member Journeymen TaiIors' Union.
(Workar Correspondantl

To many workers in the trade,
amalgamation appears to be merely
an abstract slogan. In the last few
years we have heard very much about
it, and in the needle industry consi-
derable propaganda has been carried
on in favor Of it. And yet in few in
dustries have the workers begun to
realize the need of all the workers
in an industry being combined in or
der to carry on a successful struggle.
If the workers would not confine
their vision to their own small shop
but would look out into industry as
whole, they would find that amalga-
mation-or as they call it, mergers
have been, and today to an even
greater extent are, the order of the
day among the capitalists. Banks
railroads, bakeries, steel companies.
etc, are daily combining, pooling their
resources in order better to control
the trade. The workers on the other
hand go along the path that has been
trodden since the days of small in
dustrial establishments in this coun-
try.
In the needle industry, for instance,
we have the Amalgamated Clothing
Workers, the International Ladies'
Garment Workers, the Cap Makers
Union, the Journeymen Tailors, the
international Furriers, and the United
Garment Workers. These six unions
compete with one another even tho
they seemingly occupy different sec
tions of the trade. They are all seq
ments of single industry, and there
fore not only have no reason to re-
main apart from one another, but
every reason to combine.
What would amalgamation mean l.?
Let us look at the situation as it is
today, There are six separate ad-
ministrations, six offices, six sets of
organizers, business agents, and so on.
By combining all under one head,
with one administration, there would
be tremendous cutting down of ex.
penses. One local business agent
would cover the whole industry in a
town, thus eliminating duplication of
effort. One campaign would be run
in the needle industry to line up every
needle worker, instead of desultory
attempts being made by six separate
organizers in the town.
What would amalgamation mean, as
far as strikes are concerned? 1t
! would rtaaop tbof bab;1d o,,v cr,o,., -
strikers would be lined up the solid
force of all the workers in the needle
trades, either in the locality or thru
out the country. The members of the
Journeymen Tailors' Union have only
to consider the recent strike at Par
kersburg, w. Va, which was lost prin-
cipally for lack of support. In face
of the big manufacturers who are sup
ported by the big banking institu-
lions, what worker can claim any ad.
vantage to the workers in a strike
with divided forces?
A member of the German Needle
Workers Union, recently was in this
country. He took pains to point out
that in Germany there is only one
union in the industry, amalgamation
having been carried out there some
time ago. If the German workers.
have found it an advantage to ANAL
gamate, why have not the American
workers yet arrived at an understand
ing of their needs? The officialdom
of the six needlecraft unions in this
country pretend to favor amalgama.
ton. At the conventions of the
needle trades some of them even open
ly support resolutions with this aim
in view. If they sincerely desire to
carry out amalgamation, they would
find no obstacle in their way. There
fore it is up to the rank and file to
demand and fight for amalgamation.
The writer of these lines would be
glad to get into touch with any needle
trades worker in order to exchange
ideas. His address is X. Oyster, 307S
West III Cf CIavaIandt Ohio