The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-09-18
DENTAL WORKERS
ISSUE CALL FOR
Renewed FIGHT
Expose Role of Yellow
Daily Forward

d
ago. The formation of our union
was proceeding very slowly as in
our first steps we met with very
hard tasks. In the early fall of
1928 the executive board decided to
engage a professional organizer, as
the membership impatiently de-
manded some action. Some of the
executive members mentioned the
name of P. P. Cosgrove as an eff
cient organizer. We knew him only
by a few speeches he delivered at
our previous mass meetings. A
committee of ours met Cosgrove at
the office of the Amalgamated
Food Workers, and at this confer
ieace he accepted our proposition,
and arrangements were made that
he take office on March 18th. None
of US knew about his affiliations,
as it was of no interest to US, Meth
er did he show any particular in
clinations or dislike to any political
! parties. He was on the job as trade
union organizer only.
Under the leadership of Cosgrove
our activities took faster tempo,
81 and some preparations were made
for a coming struggle (later we
found that these preparations were
not sufficiently. At our executive
meetings in the early days of May
1928, we decided to call the strike
al before the slow season came on
IRA sletter was sent out to the en-
Employers for recognition, but the time
!. set was too short and the letter was
ignored.
May 18th, at mass meeting
strike vote was taken and it was
unanimously decided to declare
strike. May 10th the strike was on
and in few days we succeeded in
tying up about IS per cent of the
industry. In the first days of the
strike we laid policy not to set
tie with Individual employers, as
we considered a settlement with the
association as a body of greater
advantage to the union.
The fight took a bitter turn. Our
pickets were arrested and beaten
up; hired stool-pigeons were plant
ed in our ranks by the bosses to
carry all the information possible
from the headquarters to the office
of the association. But the spirit
of the strikers was very good They
learned their lesson now, no sacri-
fices were too big to accomplish the
aim of organization. But here we
received a painful blow. Our or
ganizer disappeared, without giving
us any notice or information of his
whereabouts. For a few days we
were in fear of complete failure,
but the spirit of the rank and file
who went out on strike so enthus-
iastically encouraged us and we i'm
mediately formed strike settle
ment committee, under the chair
nanship of a devoted rank and
filler.
Settle 125 Shops.
We also had at our command a
group of progressive dentists who
devoted lots of time and energy in
helping US carry on the fight. We
opened individual settlements, anC
n few days we succeeded in set.
ling about 125 shops with about
100 mechanics going back to work
lnder union conditions
Meanwhile the slow season began
and we could not break the stub
1orness of the rest of the bosses
Different plans were introduced and
oil hot he -
was to join the A. F. L., the parent
labor organization. But we found
that while on strike we cannot OBJ
tain the direct affiliation of the
A. F. L., and we decided to apply
for local charter in the |. j. w. u
as
IL These two trades have some
minor points in common.
p Through this affiliation get
he channels open to organized
}bor for moral and financial sup
ort. Later we found out that here
% we were too optimistic.)
Brother Beardsley, general sec.
sretary of |. j. w. u, came down tC
our meetings, helped us keep up the
spirit of the men and served us il
advisory capacity, as how to bring
this struggle to an end. The charter
was granted to us, and negotiations
were started with the bosses. VIZ
did not get any results and decided
to call off the strike temporarily
and send our men back to the jobs
in an organized manner. Most Of
N our men got their jobs back, anc
only because of the exceptionally
dull season this year, we have about
fifty men on our unemployment list
We expect to place them back as
soon as the busy season begins.
The strike was over. Considering
our inexperience, and the disappear
ance of Cosgrove in the middle Of
the strike, our membership was
gratified by the accomplishment
an enlarged membership to aoou
fifty per cent, forty per cent work
ing in settled shops, strongly
crystallized sentiment towards or
panization and readiness to sacrifice
while building. These were the re
.,,lte If our first strike. Now wa!