The daily worker., 1925-06-23
IRON WORKERS
WIN STRIKE ON
Big bridge Job
Victory to Haze Far
Reaching Effect

Especial to the DAILY WoRKER.)
BULLETIN.
PHILADELPHIA, June 21. - The
Delaware bridge strike was won yes
terday afternoon under the leadership
OF Earl Calvert, organizer Of Brook
lyn, Local ae1. Four hundred iron
workers start working today. The
victory is expected to affect many
jobs under construction by the Ame-
rlcan Bridge company.
Tie Up Big Job.
PHILADELPHIA, (By il.)-Four
hundred structural iron workers tied
up the great Delaware river bridge
when the American Bridge company
refused to grant the men an increase
OF 15 cents per hour The strikers
are holding out solidly and have Sc
cured the assistance Of an organizer
from the Structural Iron Workers
Union to help them conduct the
strike.
Most Of the men are non-union, but
a good bunch of militants who are
members of the union have succeeded
in convincing the men that they are
entitled to union rates.
The American Bridge company,
well-known anti-unions corporation,
made several offers to the strikers
which were unanimously turned down.
First they asked the men to go back
to work for week until the COM
pany makes decision on their de-
mands, this not having the desired
effect, the company announced a
bonus system for the riveters.
Both propositions we're tricks on
'the part Of the company first to break
the spirit OF rebellion by stalling it
off for week or more and the second
to divide the riveters from the other
men.
Speed-up System.
The riveters laughed at the bonus
proposition, the union men among
them know its full significance and
all the others realize that this is an
open speed-up system that can only
result in more accidents for the work
ers. The great bridge has claimed
three iron workers as its victims so
far, and all the men recall the Incl
dents leading to the deaths of L. Con-
nors, A. Murphy, and J. Veite. There
! was no discussion on accepting the
bonus system. II was turned down
unanimously.
The present scale of the iron work
ers is $1.1O per hour and the demand
is $1.25. The strike is in its third
day and no scabs have been secured
and the strikers realize that no scabs
are likely to take their places. The
Delaware River bridge will be the
worlds largest suspension bridge
when completed. 1t is being con-
structed by the American Bridge COM
pany under its usual open shop basis.
Waiting For Opportunity.
There are well over 900 men en-
ployed on the great structure all
working on the open shop basis, but
many carrying union cards and no
doubt like the iron workers, just wait
ing for an opportunity to organize and
strike.
Due to the lack of contact between
the workers Of the various trades EN-
ployed on the bridge, no sympathetic
strike was possible. The result is
that about 500 men are working OH
the bridge while the iron workers are
striking and getting their forces or
ganized.
The bridge is due to be completed
for July, 1926, which stlll leaves about
a years work to be completed.
Bad Working Conditions.
The working conditions on the
bridge are extremely dangerous and
undesirable in many other respects
and the company has had great diff
Guilty securing experienced workers.
The strikers point out that the
New York union scale is $3.50 and II
the American Bridge Co. delays very
long in granting S1.25 they will be
up against demand for the New
York union scale.
a. calvert, organizer from Local
No. S61, Brooklyn, is giving all the
assistance to the strikers at present
and arrangements are being made TO
hold meetings OF the strikers.
Harry Collins, the chairman OF the
strike committee expresses the senti-
ment Of the strikers when he states
that not a single man will go back
to work until the company grants the
full demands.