The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-03-02
MEET
AT PAINTER CLUB;
DISCUSS DEMANDS
Progressives Tell of Of
fetal Corruption
{ By a worker Correspondentl

\
A larger hall was necessary to adj
nit the hundreds of unemployed
painters who turned out to the open
forum meeting called by the Inter
Local Club of the Painters to discuss
the unemployment situation in the
trade. The hall was secured and
everybody got admission.
The meeting was opened by Brother
Rappoport, secretary of the Club, who
outlined the situation and the purpose
of the meeting.
Calls For Union Control.
Brother Melnick, a member Of the
Club was the first speaker who de-
clared that in. order to remedy the
situa ion the union must undertake an
organization drive and enforce union
control on the job with shop-chair-
mems meetings, called by the union.
"Our union officials must show
that they are willing to do work and
the members will give them full sup
port" Melnick declared.
Official Agent Couldn't" Talk.
Brother Hilfertz, a business agent
for the union then when requested to
speak stated that he had been "sent
up to listen and report" and so was
unable to tell his plans for solving
the unemployment situation.
Brother Jack Paul, member of the
Brotherhood of Carpenters, spoke in
detail about the building trades situa-
ton as whole.
When he began to speak there was
some opposition from few members
who objected that a carpenter should
speak, but as soon as he began to
speak everyone sat and listened with
attention to his interesting address.
He pointed out that the post war
boom is over and the building trades
are facing big slump.
Unemployment Faces Whole Trade
Unemployment is not painters
evil only, but an evil which faces
every building trades employee" Paul
declared. st is necessary for US
building trades workers to face these
problems because We do not intend to
go into business as many Of our past
and present officials do, but We'll have
to stick to our trade by making our
living with the hammer and the
brush.n
He pointed out the corruption
among the officials of the building
unions and appealed for young and
progressive leadership. "We need
young people who don't go thru the
graft school to lead u.s." he asserted.
Hour Week For All Builders.
For the present he emphasized the
Importance of helping the other
building trades to obtain a five day
working week. But in order for you
painters to have a five day week it
is necessary for all others in the
building trades to have it also," he
stated.
He concluded with the Importance
of having a building trades council,
composed of workers, and not as at
present of business agents. He also
stressed the need of every union
establishing an unemployment bureau
and an unemployment fund.
State Demands.
During the discussion which fol-
lowed Brother Margolis outlined a
number of demands: /. City work I'M
der union control; 2. Unemployment
fund organized and controlled by
representatives from the local unions;
l3. Division of work; A. Unemploy-
ment statistics to be kept by the
union; 5. Request that the Distric
Council action these demands.
During the discussion member o.
the Unemployed Council showed that
unemployment is general turnout the
country.
Other demands of his which were
especially gref ed by the workers
present were: l. No eviction for I'M
employed workers; workers shall NOT
pay rent when they are unemployed;
2. Government insurance for the I'M
employed.
The speaker also stressed the need
for Labor Party which could realiz
these demands.
Officers of the Club stated that tn,
mex meeting will be held mex
Wednesday in the same hall.