The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-07-11
CIGAR MAKERS INTERNATIONAL SUSPENDS
PROGRESSIVE LOCAL ON EVE OF CONVENTION


in this shop before their affiliation.
The international officials again be-
trayed the workers thru secret CORE
spondence between the boss, the In
ternational president and his New
York representative. This strike was
also lost, thanks to the International
bureaucrats.
The official report of the Tnterna-
tional Of April 1927 shows that the
total number of members in New
York and vicinity is 1865. Of this
number about so per cent are no
more working at the bench, but are
considered as members because they
still pay sick and death benefit dues.
This leaves the New York member
ship about 800 and then 800 members
are suspended Clocal 1907. The
above deplorable situation of the I'M
organized state of the industry makes
it imperative to institute a real or
ganization campaign.
Struggle to Organize the
Unorganized.
As per agreement between Local
100 and the International officials to
organize the cigar industry in New
York the local proposed the following
plan of organizing the cigar workers:
"a The calling of shop chairmen
meetings to organize live rank and
file organization committee. ~ The
calling of a series of general mem
bership meetings to prepare and
stimulate interest in the driv e
amongst the members. (3) After pre-
pairing the membership a series of
mass meetings to be called.
How did the International carry
out the above plan to organize the
industry? During the months that
Local 100 has been in existence the
international called one shop chair
mems meeting, where an "organiza-
ton committee" was elected. This
committee was never called to q
meeting. They also called one mem
bership meeting during the entire
six months, the membership not being
notified. An obscure notice W a S
posted in one of the local offices to
which the members rarely come an
nouncing this meeting. Then with
this wonderful" preparation "mass
meeting" was called, about as well
prepared as the membership meeting.
A few progressives came down to
this meeting and no results obtained.
! This was the end of the organization
drive for the whole 6 months. The
above manner in which the reaction
airy officials of the International ran
an organization campaign should be
enough to convince anyone of the
utter lack of interest the bureaucrats
have in such campaign and the de-
liberate sabotage on the part of the
officials in this organization drive.
Local 100 Fights Betrayal.
Local 100 was outraged at these
betrayals and acts of sabotage on the
part of the International bureaucrats
and put up consistent fight in the
New York Joint Advisory Board. The
, exposure of the bureaucrats of the
International by this progressive 10.
cal put fear into their hearts and as
consequence, in true bureaucratic
fashion, issued an edict dissolving tbs
local to prevent this local from ex
posing their treacherous class col
laboration policy at the coming con
vention. The lame excuse given fol
dissolving the local was that the!
spent 5000 above the amount allowed
by the constitution.
Lame Excuse.
Is the excuse given by the presi
dent of the International valid one
According to the official annua
financial report of the .Ilternationa
contained in its official organ o
April 1927 under the heading Ode
ficency in Funds of Local Union OF
January 1, 1927" we find that 16l
locals are deficient in funds to tn
amount of S34,985.59. making al
average deficiency of S21S.72 per 10
cal. Examining this deficiency lis
closer we find the following local
listed individually deficient in fund
considerably above that of Local 10C
This is but a partial list of the out
standing deficiencies"
/ Local Amount Def
No. Location cient.
ID Chicago, III. $4,261.S5