The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-10-31
STRIKE CALL
BRINGS GREEK
FURRIERS OUT
Militant Mass PicketS
Under Left Leaders
tspeoIaI 70 rhe palIy workeN


day night at mass meeting Of the
Greek fur workers, the New York
joint board of the Furriers' Union an
nounced that the long awaited gen.
eral strike Of Greek fur workers was
to begin Wednesday morning. The
large hall was packed to the doors
with Greek furriers who were eager
bers Of the New York joint board and
all the officers of the New York union
were present at the meeting. The an
nouneement Of the general strike,
made by 3. Gold, manager of the
joint board, was received with a ire
mendous outburst Of enthusiasm and
with shouts of approval.
Mass Picketina.
Wednesday morning at o'clock
hundreds of Greek strikers gathered
at the union Office and from there
marched to the center of the Greek
fur shop district, where they pick
eted en- masse the Greek shops. By
o'clock these picketing lines were
swelled by hundreds of Greek work
ers who joined the strikers, instead
of going up to work Scores of po-
licemen came to the aid Of the boss
es against the workers while hun
dreds of Jewish workers fell in line
with the pickets. The street was
filled with strikers and sympathizers.
When the policemen saw that the
strikers were gaining ground they be-
gan to handle the strikers roughly
and freely used their clubs whenever
strikers approached a worker who
was headed for work. But the Greek
workers were defiant in Drawing the
clubs of the police. They rushed every
scab they recognized.
Arrest SIX Strikers.
The police seized six militant strik-
ers. When these arrested strikers
were led away the remaining strikers
and sympathizers Kissed and booed
the police and continued the mass
picketing. The old furriers declared
they have seldom seen such demon
stration.
The first morning of the general
strike created a strong impression in
the fur market. A number of bosses
have already announced their willing
ness to settle.
The Offices of the union declare that
the general strike of the Greek fur
workers is of great importance be-
cause since the organization of the
Furriers' Union the manufacturers
have succeeded in creating a division
between the Greek and the Jewish
fur workers. During the strikes of
1912, 1916 and 1920, the bosses sue
ceeded in using the Greek workers
against the Jewish and always held
the Greek workers as a club over the
head of the union whenever a new
agreement had to be concluded.
Greeks Badly Treated.
The Greek workers were miserably
exploited by their manufacturers.
They were forced to work for wages
much lower than those received by.
the Jewish workers who are mem
bers of the union, and there was no
limit to the hours they were compell-
ed to work. Such conditions not only
made the lie of the Greek workers
miserable but also were a standing
menace to the organized workers.
At every one of the conventions of
the International Fur Workers Union
resolutions have been passed instruct
ing the officials of the union to or
ganize the Greek workers, but these
resolutions were a mere pious wish.
Right wing officials did not seem to
care very much about the desires and
instructions of conventions.
Left Wing Officials Act.
The fur workers of New York there
fore brushed aside the right wing Off
Gals and last May elected in their
llaces left wing representatives. These
left wing functionaries Immediately
worked out plans for a Greek organ
ization campaign. This campaign was /
launched few weeks ago with the |
aid of group OF militant Greek fur !
workers. After a number of shops |
were forced to settle with the union.
and seeing that the sentiment of the |
Greek workers was strongly in favor
Of the union, the joint board decided
to call general strike.
The joint board officers declared
that due to the favorable conditions
in the trade, and the strong deter
mination of the Greek workers, the
strike will be short, and will end in a
decisive victory for the workers.