The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-09-29
1850 Window Cleaners
Prepare for Strike
Continued from Page One

tive Union demanded that confer
ence be called between the employers
and representatives of the workers to
settle the grievances. The bosses /
association countered by openly pay
ing company union organizers to
split the ranks of Local g. Some
traitors in the ranks of the workers
went over to the enemy and Local
of the Affiliated Window Cleaners
Union of America, Inc, was estab-
lished. This union worked hand in
glove with the bosses and took orders
from H. Fink, the manager of the
bosses organization.
The affiliated scab union was head
ed by one Abe Gravois, alias Kauf-
man who is said to have a most dis
agreeable record and whose double
crossing activities is well-known
among the window cleaners.
On September LIST, members of the
Amalgamated bosses association be-
gan to resign" en- masse. Shortly
thereafter the organization was "dis-
solved" and new organization was
created, which itself called itself
Manhattan Window Cleaning Employ
ers' Association H. Fink, rene
gade officer, formerly in the Protec-
tive Union and late head of the
Amalgamated Employers Associa-
ton, was made manager In this
case the leopard succeeded in chang
ing his spots but the carcass was the
same.
Insurance Firms Aid Bosses.
The new bosses association made
an agreement with the outlaw scab
union and a hundred men or so went
over to the company union but not
until they were threatened with vio-
lence and discharge,
The state department of insurance
will in all probability be compelled to
inject itself for the first time in its
history into a labor dispute when Of
ficials of the Protective Union will
make formal complaint to James A.
Beha, the superintendent of insur-
ance charging that the Window
Cleaners Employers Association or
ganized a workmen's compensation
insurance company called the Empire
State Mutual Insurance Company and
uses membership in the company as
a club with which to force members
of the association to recognize the
scab company union.
Due to the fact that window clean
ing in New York City is an unusually
hazardous occupation most casualty
insurance companies have refused to
accept the employers contract, par
tieularly after experience with the
bosses showed that they often faxed
their payrolls to bring about a re-
duction of premiums. So the bosses
formed their own company. AS it is
compulsory under law for employers
to carry compensation insurance and
as privately owned companies re-
fused to have anything to do with the
employers, the bosses association was
in position to WELD a club over the
heads of those who recognized the ac-
credited union. These charges are
being formally presented to the de-
partment of insurance sometime next
week.
Issue Call To Members.
The Protective Union, tho militant,
is chartered member in the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor and yester-
day officials of the union conferred
with Hugh Frayne, organizer of the
A. F. Of L., and notified him of the
decision to strike.
Leaflets were distributed among
all window cleaners yesterday. They
read in part: workers! The bosses
association has broken the agree
ment The association has refused
to adjust all grievances pertaining to
wages and conditions and they have
made wholesale designations from
Cleaners Protective Union, Local 8,
their association. The Window
with all its efforts to come to a
peaceful understanding, has been
forced to prepare TO call for a general
strike. At the meeting Thursday,
September goth at p. n.y. the pro-
clamation of the general strike will
take place." The call was signed by
the executive committee.
Officials of the Protective Union,
Peter Darck, secretary and Harry