The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-10-19
LABOR TAKERS
HAVE WEAKENED
TRADE UNIONS
$4,000 Slaves Support
100000

ton of about 10000 people. Ac-
cording to a local capitalist paper
which investigated the local unem-
ployment situation last winter, nor
nally about $1,000 workers of this
number are productive workers. Last
winter, according to this statement,
there were only $4,000 productive
workers. This was an amazing
statement. 1t showed clearly that
the toll of these $4,000 slaves sup
ported the other on-productive
100000. The wealth produced by
these $4,000 workers holds in ex-
istence this other great multitude
and outside of the workers fam
lilies, under much better conditions.
Besides the capitalists themselves
with their fat profits, the clergy,
the lawyers, the doctors, the bust
ness men, the agents and still others
all gain their existence from the la
Dor of this mere handful of wealth.
producing slaves. 1t is readily seen
why this middle group in society are
such staunch supporters of the pres
emit capitalist system.
Many Unemployed.
Last winter, Trenton had a great
number of unemployed. Many more
than were admitted. Besides the
productive workers, many engaged
in non-productive work were also
thrown out of employment. Some
factories operated with a greatly re-
duced number of workers, some part
time and others shut down COM
pletely. Since then production has
increased greatly with the exception
of the rubber tire industry. Many
of these rubber mills have shut down
permanently. Even though produc-
tion has increased greatly, the num-
per of employed workers has not
Deen increased, due to the speed-up
and efficiency systems installed
New machinery and new methods
have been installed which greatly
reduced the number of required
workers. In one of the few remain
ing rubber mills, compound mix
ing machine has been installed
which, operated by two workers, de-
prives Is mill men of their jobs.
Unorganized Town.
Trenton as whole is an unor-
gained town. The organized labor
movement has been practically
wiped out. The few remaining
unions exist only in skeleton form
and are under the control of the
most reactionary leadership.
Outside of the building trades,
very few workers are organized and
the few unions remaining are under
the control of the bosses themselves.
The trolleymen's union, which at
one time was a militant organiza-
tion and which has a splendid past
record of successful struggles, is
today dominated by men who are
mere flunkeys of the traction inter
ests. 1t has been reduced to a COM
pany union and is dominated by the
bosses themselves. The most en-
shaving conditions are being i'm
posed, agreements are broken and
ignored and the officialdom sue
cun1bs to the whims of the company
without protest.
Ictc
The machinists of Trenton also
had strong militant organization
Today only skeleton exists. AL
though strong in number at one
time, today the membership of Local
298 is only known to the officials
themselves The meetings are at
tended by the heads only, four or
five at the most and dues of two
dollars per month are collected by
the business agent who now and
then comes to town for this purpose
He, by the way, is reactionary of
the worst type and dominates the
others with an IRON hand. Nothing
is being done to bring the member
ship to the meetings and the ma.
Jorlty have lost track of when the
meetings are held. This is to the
liking of the business agent ane
nothing is being done to change this
policy.
The unskilled workers have Nc
organization whatever. The Roeb.
ing mills which employ thousands
OF workers are wholly unorganized
Here the workers are greatly .ex.
plotted and at the complete mercy
OF the bosses. Long hours are ir
force and as little as 35 cents an
hour is paid to a great MANY OF
the workers.
Open Shop Rubber Mills
The few remaining rubber mill,
are also open shop institutions. The
rubber workers also at one tim.
were partly organized, but toda,
nothing remains of their union. Ever