The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-09-16
NOTES Of LABOR AND LEFT Il
WING ACTIVITIES IN THE EAST

| been most deplorable, especially be-
cause of the employment system used.
The owner of the restaurant, In most
cases a Greek, brings some of his
countrymen over, pays their expenses,
and then ties them down to IL or Is
hours of work to meet this outlay
They get the worst kind of food to
eat Naturally these conditions made
organization possible.
Clubs of unskilled workers were es-
tablished and strikes called. This had
to be done since the A. F. Of L. local
Of food workers in Newark takes in
\ only skilled workers-cooks and wait
srs-giving no consideration to the
unskilled This union. however, has
been giving the clubs whatever aid
they could, giving them office space,
speakers and other moral support
which is essential in the situation.
THE striking workers attempted to
l put economic pressure on the res
taurant owners by prevailing upon or
ganized workers not to patronize these
restaurants. The result was a series
Of injunctions against the strikers. AS
each injunction involved an expense
of $500 to $500 the owners sustained
considerable financial loss. Several OF
the smaller restaurant owners yielded
the strikers demands. The big res
taurant owners, however, are backing
the drive against the strikers, and
now the bosses have organized an as.
ISOLATION. At the present time the
strike is still going on. About ESQ
workers have Joined the clubs.
In the Metal Trades.
TN the metal industry of New York
and vicinity we find that about
$4,000 metal workers are unorganized.
There are two unions existing in this
countryside International Association
Of Machinists, with few thousand
members, and the Amalgamated Metal
Workers, with a few hundred mem
bers. The existence OF these two COM
peting organizations, small tho they
both are, is a hindrance to unioniza-
ton. The problem is one of amalga-
nation of the two unions. Steps are
being taken now to this end. The
fight for amalgamation in the metal
industry is being strongly pushed by
the T. U. E. L.
Among the Bakers.
HERE we have also two organiza-
Il tons in the feld-bakers' locals
Of the Amalgamated Food Workers
and of the American Federation of
Labor. Both are mass organizations.
The conflicts that take place between
these organizations, however, even
when they carry on joint campaigns,
makes amalgamation Of the two
unions essential. The question is now
being taken up with good prospects
for success.
Shoe Industry.
A CAMPAIGN for the amalgamation
"A of the American Shoe Workers
Union and the Shoe Workers Protec-
tive Union has been carried on by &C
tive militants of the T. U. E. L. The
Protective Union has about 1000
members, the American has about
5000 members. The latter is bosses
union, but thru the activity of the
militants in the industry the rank
and file members are being gradually
won over and we are beginning to see
the company union gradually trans
forming into union for struggle. This
will give considerable aid to the move
for amalgamation. These two unions
are now on the verge of amalgama
ton.
Expulslons.
ILTHILE the International Ladies
w Garment Workers Union was tn
first to start the policy of expulsion
of members of the T. U. E. L. ant
active militants generally, It was tn,
last. The same policy has been trie,
by other unions than those in tn
needle trades.
The Associa1on of Machinists
cided on the expulsion policy.
proved so unsuccessful, however, Tn
they tried to back out. An OPPOSITE
bloc formed In the union with a d.
gram which had as one of its plank
opposition to The expulsion policy
The result was that the policy wa
stopped.
TNHE painters at recent convention
4 decided to put a clause in their
constitution to expel all Communists,
all members of the workers party, all
members of the T. U. E. L. This pol
icy, however, cannot be put into effect
until 1t is approved of by referen-
dun vote of the membership. Mean
while an active campaign is being
carried on against this policy.
Boston Mattresses