The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-03-21
GRAND RAPIDS
auto WORKERS
HOLDING FIRM
Company Unable to Re.
cruit ScGbS
CONTINUED from page u


informed of the trimmers' strike, quit
their jobs and left the city. Two
men who came here from Detroit de-
manded that they be reimbursed for
their expenses at $25 apiece. They
made emphatic demands to the gen.
eral manager, Mr.. Ginsburg, who was
forced to grant them.
Ed Finch (Fink), promoter of
many schemes, owner of poolroom,
a store, and several rooming houses,
a regular loudmouth during the first
two weeks of the strike, offering one
of his houses for the accommodation
of up to 20 strikers free of charge, is
now under suspicion of being pro-
vocateur stoolpigeon. He has re-
turned to work over a week ago,
linking on the trimmers, and aiding
the company generally to bluff the
strikers into believing that produc-
ton is going at full blast. This bluff,
however, has already been exposed.
The striking trimmers, wondering
where all the auto bodies loaded upon
the trucks for shipment were coming
from, pursued several trucks one
night last week in their cars, merely
to find to their great amusement that
these trucks were taking trips thru
and around the city in an attempt to
bluff the strikers that production at
the plant was normal"
Production Crippled.
Actual production in the factory is
very low. The company has lost sew
eral large orders already. The rats
that have been hired to break the
strike are entirely incompetent.
Last November, after a two weeks
layoff, the trimmers were hired back
and a 8 per cent cut imposed on them.
This cut was not sufficient for the
greedy bosses, who then Unanswered
another layoff in December. Opera
ton of the plant was resumed in Jan
uary, and after about seven weeks of
work the trimmers received the das-
tardly cut of 10 per cent on Washing
toms birthday. After the announce
ment of this cut the trimmers walked
out en- masse.
The irony in the situation is that
the wages Of the scabs have again
been cut TX per cent below the rates
offered the trimmers prior to their
walkout.
All automobile bodies, upon arriving
at the Overland plant in Toledo, are
inspected before they are unloaded,
with the result that six out of every
nine bodies on the average are con-
demned.
This very fact explodes the myth
on the part of the company that suf
ficient competent help is available,
and that production has not been Grip
pied thru the strike of the trimmers.
Fail to Get Local Scabs.
AS no regular trimmers other than
habitual finks can be cajoled into the I
factory, the bosses tried various
schemes to obtain some help from
the local furniture industry. yellow
slips" were sent to the homes of up |
holsterers announcing that good job |
was waiting for them at the plant to |
work as trimmers, and that mere |
interview with the employment man.
ager would place than into excellent
positions. No scabs were gained thru !
this trickery, as a union of uphol- !
sterers was organized here but few |
months ago. Individual rehiring |
among the trimmers did not fare bet
nvo k~f,, vlD Off Il
special opportunities if he, together |
with his brother, resumed work there, |
told the superintendent to go to hell. |
Both are now named as two of the |
nineteen defendants in the Injunction. ]
The wrath of the bosses was given |
ven. the other day, when a striker |
was drenched by a bucket Of paint |
poured upon him from the finks in the I
paint stock room as he was walking |
by the shop. AS it was self-evident |
that this attack was instigated by the
bosses, this striker is now suing for
damages.
When hundreds OF automobile work
ers, together with the striking trim
mers, reached st. Hyacinth Hall to
attend the regular Wednesday night
meeting of local 3, they were puzzled
for a moment by the great number
of cars parked near the hall, throwing
immense spotlights on the men as
they entered the hall.
It soon became known that these |
spotlights were operated by execu-
tives of the Hayes Ionia company, for
the purpose of spying on those work
ers who were attending the union
meetings and learning that only thru
united and organized action can they
hope to solve their many shop prob
lens.
AS the men did not seem in the
least disturbed regarding the puny
stunts of the bosses, these executives
became aggravated and attempted to
create riot in front OF the hall, ex.
pecting in this way to break up the
union meeting.
They did not succeed as the city
noIfparnan In that diofrlot noffoad tta