The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-08-25
FIGHTING CICARMAKERS OUSTED IN DISPUTE; DEMAND
REINSTATEMENT

Out of about $4,000 cigar makers on
ly 1900 are organized, good por=
ton of whom are not working at the
bench, but are holding membership
because of sick and death benefit.
This condition calls for an aggressive
organization campaign.
How the international Conducts Or
ganization Campaigns.
As per agreement between our To-
cal and the International officials to
organize the cigar industry in New
York the local proposed the follow
ing plan: ~ The calling of shop
chairmen meetings to organize a live
rank and file organization committee.
(2) The calling Of a series of general
membership meetings to enlist the
members for active work amongst
the unorganized. 80 After prepar-
ing the membership a series of mass
meetings to be called.
How did the international carry
ont the above plan to organize the in
dustry? During the six months of
the existence of our local the Joint
Advisory Board called one shop chair
men meeting where an Organization
committee" was elected. This COM
mittee was never called to a meeting,
They also called one membership
meeting during the entire six months,
the membership not being notified.
With this wonderful" preparation
"mass meeting" was called, about as
well prepared as the membership
meeting. Only few active members
came down to this meeting. This was
the end of the organization drive for
the whole six months. Again it was
apparent that the international Off
Gals would not do anything to let the
New York organization grow for fear
of radical ideas.
Forced To Fight In Defense.
Our local became outraged g. this
conduct on the part of the Interna-
tional officials and put up consis-
tent fight in the New York Joint Adj
visory Board for the rights of the
membership and insisted that the
agreement for unity be lived up to.
The fear Of exposure of the bureau
Gratis of the international by our To-
cal at the coming convention caused
the president to issue an edict dis
solving our local to prevent our dele
gates from, exposing their treacher-
Gus conduct at the coming convention.
And as there must always be some
excuse The flimsy preteXt given. for
dissolving our local was that we
spent $142.60 above the amount al
lowed by the constitution.
The Official Excuse" for Suspension.
The official Journal of April 1927
discloses the fact that there are about
100 local unions that had a deficit
on January /, 1927 of an amount Of
close to $4,000. Some of these sums
are substantially above that of our
local. For example: Local IA, Chi
cago, where the international presi-
dent no doubt is at present a member
shows a deficit of $4,261.85; local 14S,
1,442. 50; local $50, S1,47s.05; local
SOL, $1,125.55; local Isl, New York,
where international organizer Simons
is president, S1,9S9.7z.
The above is only partial list Of
those locals who have deficit. Con-
sidering the above facts taken from
the official Journal, can the member
ship accept the flimsy excuse that To-
cal 100 has been dissolved because Of
deficit Of $142.60? If according to
the constitution locals are to be sus-
pended for deficiency in funds why
were noe the 100 locals listed IN their
own official report suspended The
reason is obvious. These 100 locals
the officials are considered as safe,
whereas our local will put up a fight
for the real interests Of the workers
in this industry.