The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-03-17
NEGRO PORTERS
ARE DESERVING
COMP ANY union
Pullman Bosses Fear
Real Organization
BY ROBERT DUNN,
Federated Press.

In another effort to save its COM
pany union plan from destruction, the
Pullman company is touring its indus
trial relations superintendent, F. l..
Simmons, on the trail of the general
organizer of the Brotherhood Of Sleep
ing Car Porters, the real trade union
answer of porters to the Pullman COM
pany scheme.
safety First" is Simmons topic, but
his real purpose is to Offset the eff
fective organizing speeches of broth
erhood officials. Simmons paints these
men as crooks about to abscond with
porters' dues to Moscow or Mexico.
Long AntI-Union Record.
With long anti-union record, and
with 10000 porters on its payroll be-
sides thousands of conductors and
shop workers, the Pullman company
put its plan into effect in 1920 ito
keep the workers in their place." The
company tried to lure the white Pull
man conductors with free insurance,
etc., but they saw thru the scheme
and rejected it. They organized a real
trade union and doubled their wages
promptly. The company union was
used to break a strike Of Pullman
shop carmen, the representatives"
acting as stool-pigeons. A speed-up
system and reduced wages were
achieved among car shop workers by
the plan.
While the plan promises mo dis
elimination" the first porters who
bucked 1t were discharged for insub-
ordination and several have been fired
for union activity. The plan has
proved a complete farce, say union
officials who have tried to get some
thing for the workers out of it. Ap-
peals to higher company committees
always end in the companys bureau
OF Industrial relations where the com.
pany's will is law. Decisions on vital
matters are always against the work
ers,
Bosses Fear Real Union.
Called in desperate effort to check
the progress Of the porters' union, the
Chicago wage conference was domi.
mated by the corporation. obviously
elected delegates came from insignif
cant terminals, while some Of the large
centers where the real union has made
great Roadway were unrepresented
The elections were characterized By
fraud, force and intimidation.
Porters at the conference were told
lust what microscopic wage increas,
he company would grant them. Be
cause two delegates, Edwards of st
Louis and Smith of Omaha, refused
to eat out of the Pullman paw, the,
have had difficulty in reporting bacl
to their constituents. Smith wal
doubled out every time he reached
home. Finally he had to lay off fol
several days to report his vote agains
the agreement to his fellow porters
The company circulated petitions
among Omaha and st. Louis porterl
repudiating Smiths and Edwards &C
tion at Chicago and threatened Dor
tiers with discharge if they did no
sign,
Company Terrorizes Workers.
The st. Louis porters' meeting t.
hear conference reports was presided
over by company assistant and secont
assistant superintendents, and porter
endorsing Edwards were declared on
of order. In spite of this intimidation
the porters stood solidly behind him
Those most active in his support wer,
penalized or held off runs.
Minutes of the conference reveal tn,
company using as a weapon to figh
ioff wage advances its group insurance
pension and other welfare devices
whose benefits porters testify tina
they never receive. Company agent
contend the company union will Civ,
porters' grievances proper considera
tion," but with the Chicago conference,
fresh in mind the porters are laughin,
at company union claims and are de
termined to end the plan.