The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-03-31
ARPENTERS tho
EXPELLED, WIN BY
CLEVER TACTICS
D etroit Progressives
Fight for Unity


tween 10000 and 1900 carpenters in
Detroit working at the trade. The
number in the unions varies at differ
ent times. At present the unions have
about 1000 members, but they are
divided into two unions The Brother
hood of Carpenters and Joiners Of
America have about 1900 to 1900
members while the independent or
expelled locals have about 700, leay-
ing 5000 to 10000 unorganized.
One can readily see that the carpen-
tiers of Detroit are not well organ
lied. This is mainly the result Of the
action of the International officials.
Like most reactionary leaders they
have established machine which they
use to control the organization to
their liking. If member or local
has the temerity to oppose the official
machine it means suspension or ex-
pulsion.
Good Tactics.
Locals 2140 and 1871 Of Detroit ara
so situated at the present time. Find
ing themselves outside Of the brother
hood they were forced to join to-
gether with joint board to work out
policy of action. AS a result the ex-
PEELED locals have continually gained
in membership while the brotherhood
locals have gone down in membership
and finances until they are practically
broke. It is reported that their BUSH
ness agents are being paid by the
international Office.
Naturally the expulsion policy did
not work out to the advantage Of the
brotherhood or even the official ma
chine. We cannot expect a reaction
airy oficialdom to think very clearly
or work to the advantage Of the rank
and file. They only consider them
selves in determining a plan Of action.
-y to Split Progressives.
After their defeat in all their at
tempts at expulsion in Detroit they
are advancing peace proposals to
Local 1871. Local 2140 is left out in
these considerations. Why? Because
the international officials do not want
these two locals working in harmony
either inside the brotherhood or out
side. They must divide them at all
costs. The progressives must be split
up so that Brother Reynolds will not
be admitted into the brotherhood or
considered at all. If they can keen
Brother Reynolds, the president Of
Local 214O, out Of the union it will
mean that any one disagreeing with
the official machine will be expelled.
The expulsion policy must be main
tanned even tho they wreck the union!
Locals Build Up.
1t was not from choice that Locals
1871 and 214O are independent locals.
Self-preservation dictated the terms.
BY establishing the joint board com
BY establishing the joint board COM
posed Of members elected from both
locals, they were able to unity their
forces and work out plan of action,
taking in control of jobs, organization.
and working toward a reunited car.
penters' organization in Detroit.
As result of this action these two
locals have succeeded beyond expecta-
lions. They have increased their men,
bership while the brotherhood locals
have continually lost members. Their
morale is good and they have .
healthy spirit while the morale of the
brotherhood is very low. Now the Of
fetal machine realizes its mistake and
is trying to correct It by a policy
of splitting the two expelled locals:
splitting the progressives so that the
reactionaries can control the situation
and no one will dare oppose them.
| Expelled Locals Growing.
Two two expelled locals control
eighty or ninety per cent Of the union
work in this city. This naturally
means that they must grow Mem.
bers are continually transferring from
the brotherhood locals to the expelled
locals and many new members are
joining. They have organized two
new jobs by carrying on a strike sue
cessfully. This has not been done be-
fore for several years by the carpen-
ters Of Detroit.
Willing to Come Back.
Locals 214O and 1871 are well aware
that II Detroit is to become a wen
organized city 1t can only be achieved
by a reunited carpenters organiza,
ton in the brotherhood Of carpenters
and Joiners of America. Their policy
has been to work to that end without
explosions or arbitrary penalties OF
any kind. When the brotherhood of
feials realize they cannot split the
expelled locals or whip them into line,
and that Detroit cannot be organized
without the progresslves, they win
find Locals 1871 and 214O only too
willing TO cooperate and work for a
real union Of carpenters in the city
II