The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-01-27
BRITISH LEFT
Wing SEAMEN
FORM SECTION
Issue Program to All
British SeafGrerS

AiOudt SSdIdIcff organ OF tuc Sedmcn8
section of the international propa-
ganda committee of revolutionary
Transport Workers, announces that
the seamen Of Great Britain, who
went thru a bitter battle against both
the shipping companies and the reae-
tlonary union leaders Of the N. s. and
F. u, headed by HaVelook Wilson,
have formed section Of the National
Minority Movement, which is much
like the Trade Union Educational
League in the United States, with the
following program and demands Of
and for the British seamen:
Seafarers OF all grades: It should
be needless to inform wou that the
conditions under which you work are
appalling: the hours are far too long,
the wages at a starvation level, the
food Of the worst quality and often
not enuf Of that.
You are also aware of the chaotic
state of affairs that exist in halta-
dozen different unions that are sup
posed to be fighting on your behalf
apparently they are more concerned
/ about fighting each other.
All these things you know well
enuf; what you do want to know il
how to get out Of this mess.
The late unofficial seamen's strike.
altho unable to stop the infamous re.
duction agreed to by Havelock VIII
son, taught the seamen two lessons.
these are:
~ The need for one union for
all seafarers.
~ The control Of this union BY
the rank and file.
With these facts in view a large
number of seamen lately on strike
have formulated the following pro-
gram and formed seamen's section
of the Transport Workers Minority
Movement. These proposals are
submitted to all seamen and an appeal
is made for support by making them
a reality.
In view of the fact that the ship
owners are in one organization known
as the Shipping Federation and that
this organization is linked up with the
Federation of British Industries. IN
other words the one big union of all
the bosses, it is claimed that the oufv
successful way of fighting the ship
owners is by one union Of all seafarers
linked up with other transport work.
ers.
With this end in view seamen ara
invited to carry on continual agita.
ton among seamen on board ship and
ashore for the amalgamation of all
existing seamen's unions. The uIti.
mate objective being one union for
all transport workers with sections as
follows:
~ Seamen.
~ Dockers.
(S) Railway Workers.
(4) Road Transport.
Our immediate demands are az
follows:
% Forty-eight hour week at sea
and 44-hour week in port.
(2) Overtime at time and a half
week days: double time Sundays and
holidays, whether at sea or in port.
CD Minimum rate of pay: firemen.
IA pounds; sailors, IL pounds; stew
ards, 10 pounds; per 2S-day month.
(4) Weekly allotment notes to he
allowed to dependents UP to rs Der
cent Of wages paid: seamen also TO
have the option Of drawing balance
Of 20 per cent in any port up to any
amount.
(5) Flock beds and bedding to Be
supplied by shipowners; also clean
sheets, pillows, towels, together with
eating utensils. lighthouses and mess
rooms 10 be fitted up apart from
sleeping accommodation.
(6) The right to form shin com.
mittees representative of all depart-
ments and a recognition of duly
elected representatives by union ofioi-
ais and ships officers. No victimizs.
ton.
CD Abolition OF the P. c. S.
tS) Free passage to home ports for
all seamen left in foreign ports due
to sickness. Wages to be paid in full
up to the arrival in home ports.
(s) Shipowners to subscribe 10 a
central fund from which all seameu
can claim a pension on showing 25
years discharges.
(10) Wages to commence and fin.
ish from day Of signing to day of pay.
ing-of.
QD Tobacco and cigarettes to be
supplied to crew at cost price out OF
bond, plus insurance.
(l2) Abolition OF the present
Board Of Trade scale Of provisions.
The above program has been agreed
to by the rank and file of British
seamen's unions and the recently
formed seamen's section Of the Ma.
tional Minority Movement The sea.
men In all British vessels are re-
quested TO communicate with the sec
rotary at the national headauarters ~