The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-03-08
Recent Outstanding Achievements Among
Working Women

The first conspicuous instance in 1926 along organi-
rational lines the continued growth and develop
msnt Of Local 49, Millinery Hand Workers Union, OF
the Cloth Hat Cap and Millinery Workers International
Union. In less than two years around 1000 young
men have been organized Union control has been
tabshed in hundreds Of small shops, with four young
members of Local 43 able and efficient business
agents and organizers This is remarkable and note
worthy achievement when knows the history of
Local 43 and the great handcaps and obstacles which
has had to encounter Local 4S has unusual record
Of heroic devotion and loyalty upon the part of small
minority, who have been responsible for holding the
Local together since the disastrous 1919 strike when
attempt made to organize the 10000 milliners in
the uptown shops.
Local AZ has not been spectacular, it has had little
publicity, its active members are perhaps the least
known among the outstanding young trade union wo-
in New York. although they number in their ranks
of the most able most competent and most promis
ing. Under their leadership Local 43 is building
strong organization and is educating and training its
membership, composed mainly of young women under
twenty five years of age With the spirit and
the steady ground gaining Local AZ be count
ed upon to organize the millinery trade and to celebrate
the tenth anniversary of the 1919 lost strike by having
1907 organization. 1t will be able to rank of
the strongest womens locals in New York.
The second interesting development the organiza
ton campaign last fall of the Ladies Talors and Gus
tom Dress Makers Union Locd 49, I. L. G. w. U. Here
is another group of than 10000 unorganized mis-
erably exploited women, in district which adjons the
millinery market, making within radius of twenty
tions and wages running the slight gains of the few
organized women. In brilliant whirwnd campaign,
under the direction of Juliet Stuart Poyntz, there
first attempt at United Front when the custom dress
makers, furriers and milliners made onslaught
the powerful manufacturers upper Fifth Avenue and
81 St. For the short time allotted to it, this campaign
most effective and successful beyond all expecta-
TONS 1t created strong trade union consciousness
among the and the excellent educational propa-
ganda not without its effect in many of the exclu-
sive shops for long time anti-union stronghold, in
which Local 80 has secured foothod. 1t was
proved beyond doubt that the organization of the
tom dressmakers 9th st. is not impossible in the
future.
The recent strike Of the Paper Box Makers, largely
young girls, is third interesting Although this
strike lost after nineteen weeks of heroic struggle
New York trade unionists. Again record was estab-
-lished of womens achievements in 1926
The fourth demonstration of the solidarity and mill
tant action of another group of women is the most
nificent example of them ALL The story of the women
of Passac can be told and reold Passac established
precedent for organization in the unorganized
industries The Paper Box Makers proved that young
women be depended upon to strike for four months
stick to their union and though temporarily defeated 90
back to work. undaunted to rebuild their union on the
inside. The Millinery Workers and the Custom Dress
Makers have demonstrated that the women under the
jurisdiction OF international Unions ready and
to be organized They held back by the reac
tionary officials indifferent to the exploitation of wo-
men workers and the decentralization of the industry.
Out OF eleven million underpaid and overworked wo-
men in industry in America, there barely 100000
in the trade unions Let realize keenly that the
sponsblity for improving the conditions of our ex-
plotted fellow workers is upon our own shoulders Let
US face facts squarely.
Women must act for themselves The organization
Of women must be accomplished by women The ques-
ton of the position of in the trade unions was
dominant and challenging than today. The
New York trade union women have tremendous fight
ahead of them but there to be great promise
the future. 1927 should be year of solid and able
achievement in the advancement of women workers.
Ann Washington Grafton