The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-07-17
THE FIRST PRIZE WINNER,
LOCAL 43 OF
MILLINERS IN
UNION DRIVE
Organization Only Way
to Combat Bosses
BY L. GREENSWEIG
worker correspondent)

NEW YORK, July 15.-The last
few years have witnessed a radical
change in the millinery industry. The
coming of more machinery and i'm
proved manufacturing methods have
displaced the skilled hand workers,
who are now reduced to trimming the
hats. Outside of the surplus Of work
ers caused by this change, there are
hundreds of girls pouring into this
industry, lured by the hearsay of
high wages.
These girls soon discover that the
average week-work wage is contrary
to their expectations, and also that
week-work jobs are few and far be-
tween. Piece workers have to rush
at a dizzy speed, never stopping a
moment to take breath, in order to
make the wages rumored about.
Hardly Time for Lunch.
Also, lest We forget, an hour for
lunch is seldom taken, let alone the
fact that most girls take their lunches
with them and just take time enough
to eat. Overtime is something which
the trimmers find an important fac.
tor towards the realization Of these
wages, but then they average but lit
tie per week during the entire year,
on account of the seasonal periods.
Simplified manufacturing plus cheap
labor has induced more capital invest
ment. Many new factories have ap-
peared. Many manufacturers are get
ting noticeably bigger and moving
into larger quarters, doing big vol
ume of business. The old-fashioned
manufacturer, who employed about
half dozen workers, is almost ex-
tinct, forced out by the pressure of
competition with the larger ones.
However, while the manufacturers
are making more money, the milliners
are making less and less.
Bosses Lower Wages.
AS a result of intimidation wages
are gradually forced down, and coin
cidentally, the conditions under which
the girls work are worse. But this is
only one phase of the situation, the
other is much worse.
In spite of the lull in the industry,
we see ads for milliners. How is
that? Here we find that there is
hardly enough work to keep the girls
busy on part time, and yet we find
advertisements in newspapers for
more workers. This is no other than
a move to replace those already work
ing with cheaper labor.
To combat these conditions the mil
liners Local No. 43 is launching an
organization campaign. We know
that once the trimmers will realize
the futility of depending upon their
boss good nature for living wage
they will join the union. Up to date
this local includes but fifth of the
milliners. But slowly and surely we
are making progress, and with the CO
operation of the members it is hoped
that in the near future we will be
completely organized.
The only immediate plan for the
millinery trimmers, who want to make
sure that their wages will be able to
furnish them with the necessities Of
life, and make the conditions under
which they work at least tolerable, is
to join the union. Only in this way
can~they win a minimum wage scale
which will be sufficient to cover their
needs, and also to abolish the piece
work system, which sets girl against
girl, and makes united action impos-
sible, to the pleasure and profit of the
Oosses' q hal