The daily worker., 1926-07-21
AMISSIONER
ASSISTS |. R. I.
COMPANY union
Consolidated Appeals
to N. Y. Unions

(Special 70 The Daily Worke)
NEW YORK, July 19. - The New
York Transit Commission, supposedly
an Impartial government institution,
through its spokeman Herman A.
Metz, has come out frankly in support
of the company union of the Inter
borough Rapid Transit company and
has tried to break the strike Of the
real labor union, the Consolidated
Railroad Union, by calling the strike
leaders into conference only to brow
beat them, or attempt to, into going
back to the company union and to
work without their demands being
considered, let alone granted.
Strikers Reject Company Union.
Strike leaders Edward LAWN, Harry
Bark and Joseph Phelan, stood firmly
for the demands of the Consolidated,
however, and following the confer
ence stated:
1--WE are willing to call mass meet
ing of the men, and by their votes
show that they stand solidly as re-
CARDS recognition of the real union.
We are willing to take a public vote
We are willing to make it a public
meeting so that everyone can know
what our stand is and form opinions
accordingly. But there can be no set
tlement unless the new union is re-
cognized'
WheedIes and Threatens
A4at. H. o1Iocad az, No rt;al,S cor,,
missioner of the government. called
the strike leaders to his home, fur
nishing automobiles to bring them
Once there, he launched into a long
argument in behalf of the company
union, and when the strikers told
him that the company union was
hated by all traction workers, as the
referendum of 5000 on the question
had returned only 200 votes for the
company union as against real la
Dor union, and when the strikers
stated that their demands including
ion were final, Metz replied that they
would get nowhere" and advocated
| that the company union is "the best
form Of cooperative bargaining"
Evades Fair offer.
When James F. Walsh of the strik-
ers proposed that representatives of
the company and of the strikers meet
| in open debate at a mass meeting of
the employees, with vote of these
employees deciding the issue for or
against the company union, Metz eva
ded the proposal by saying that what
was wanted was faction, not debates"
Metz even tried to trap the strikers
into supporting the company's demand
to the Transit Commission for higher
fares, by saying that the Interborough
was poor" and asking which they
favored, an increase of fares or a
remission of taxes. The union men
responded neither" to both these pro-
posals. In short Mr. Metz appeared
as counsel for the Interborough.
Company Not Bankrupt"
At a meeting OF the strikers later
Norman Thomas congratulated the
men on standing by their union and
| uIBtu lHtHn 70 COHlluuc W uO oO A1o
also ridiculed as did the men, Metz
company union argument that the
company is bankrupt"
In an appeal to the organized labor
of Greater New York, the strikers
make the following statements:
Appeal to N. Y. Unionlsts.
Eve had no previous organization
except the company union, therefore
we were without resources with which
to fight. But we know that the long
established labor unions in New York
want to see this a good union town.
You want to see the workers in all
industries organized, especially on the
traction systems.
1--WE need your aid In this fight.
We want your moral support. We
want you to refuse to ride the |. r.
7. lines while we are out. We also
need financial support to enable US
to put up an effective fight against
this powerful corporation. Adopt
resolutions and send contributions
to--consolidated Railroad Workers
Union, 155th Street and Eighth Ave.
| New York Citvv