The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-06-13
NEW YORK FURRIERS WIN FOUR MONTHS
STRIKE UNDER LEFT WING. LEADERSHIP

Carnegie Hall outside because they
could not gain admission. Hugh
Frayne, organizer Of the American
Federation Of Labor, unwilling to give
in to the demand of the masses, had
to adjourn the meeting.
Green Endorses tho Strike.
The result of the Carnegie Hail
meeting was to force President Green
to make peace with the New York
joint board leadership and to endorse
the strike. A meeting was subse-
Quently held in the 69th Regiment
Armory at which President Green
spoke together with Gold. At this
meeting the striking furriers gave a
fitting demonstration Of what they
think of their young, fearless leader
and Communist. For Is minutes they
gave rousing thunderous cheers for
Gold.
The famous eight points presented
by Hugh Frayne following the ad-
journed Carnegie Hall meeting played
very important role in the strike.
The eight points accepted by the
right wing and by President Green
were as follows:
1. The old agreement shall form
the basis for settlement.
@ Elimination of overtime work as
much as possible.
A three-year agreement
4 No apprenticeship from Feb. list
1926 to Feb. 10, 1928.
5. No sub-contracting.
6. A ten per cent increase over the
present minimum wage scales.
z. At the end of two years there
shall be one minimum wage scale in
stead Of two.
8. A 42-hour, 6-day week, hours
work to be done on Saturday.
Eight Points Rejected.
The workers categorically rejected
the eight points. When Green came
to New York a few weeks later to
settle the furriers' strike on the basis
Of the eight points, he failed to bring
about an agreement and following the
breakup of the negotiations he came
out in favor of the forty-hour week,
the main demand Of the fur workers.
The bosses claimed that President
Green double-crossed them. The fur
strikers took good advantage Of Presi-
dent Green's Endorsement of the forty.
hour week. A referendum resulted in
overwhelming Endorsement of the
forty hours and pledged the workers
to continue full support of the general
strike committee until that demand
was won.
Support For Shorter Work Week.
The furriers issued an appeal for
support Of the strike on the basis that
it was struggle to establish a shorter
work-week, forty-hour week. Labor
unions, central trade and labor coun
ellis, joint boards and labor organiza
tons Of all kinds Endorsed the forty
| hour proposal. The forty-hour week
meeting held by the fur strikers in
Madison Square Garden was a big sue
cess.
I The manufacturers have conceded
the forty hours together with other
demands. The great strike marked by
splendid mass picketing and magnifi
cent courage has ended in a great
victory not only for the fur workers
but for the whole working class
Great credit is due the splendid gen
eralship, courage and ability displayed
by the leadership of Gold and his as
sociates and the general strike com
mittee. The greatest credit is due
the militant rank and file of the fur
riers' union and especially the pickle
committee. They faced the gangsterI
and police who carried guns, club
and knives. They were arrested b,
the hundreds. In spite of the man,
scars of battle that they displayet
they continued the struggle with re
newed enthusiasm and courage every
day. 1t is the rank and file that made
the victory possible.
The left wing through the furriers
strike has demonstrated that not onl,
can it be an opposition to a reaction
airy right wing machine but also tina
once it becomes the leader Of tn,
masses that it can lead those masse
successfully in struggles against tn,
capitalists.
We all hail the victory Of our fel
low fur workers. 1t marks the begin
ming of great forward strides not onl
in the needle trades but throughou
the American labor movement.