The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-09-19
MILITANT WAS
DRIVEN F ROM
SHOP TO SHOP
Misleaders Run Union
for Bosses Benefit
(By a Worker Correspondent

mated for the last five years Il
have been a member of that organ
lization since its birth) I have ex-
perienced personally certain deeds
that deserve the attention of every
member in that organization. 1t
concerns not only the members of
the Amalgamated, but members of
other unions as well. For similar
conditions exist in other unions, al
though I shall speak only of the
Amalgamated because it is here that
| have gathered the facts.
These facts are important because
they involve the fundamental prin-
ciple of the rank and file. It shows
the gradual loss of these rights. It
shows that the constitutions that
guarantee these rights have become
meaningless. they exist in name
only. 1t shows how the power to
direct the policies of the union has
been almost entirely usurped by the
officialdom. It shows how the of
ficials betray and sell the workers.
It shows how the machine is put to
work to punish those who protest
against such betrayals. It shows
further how workers are punished
for exposing those officials who be-
tray and sell the workers.
Business Agent Aids Boss.
Chicago, 1924 At that time l
worked for M. Lauther, a pants con-
tractor. Lauther wanted some ad-
ditional work on the pocket-section.
The business agent, Morris Schaps,
told the workers that they would
make the additional work for the
same price. Because" said he, "the
workers of Edelman's shop are MAX
ing the same grade work for the
same price" Through records of
the two shops I convinced Schaps
that Edelman paid more money for
The same operation. Did he take
back his order? He did not. Did
he have other reasons for carrying
out his order? If he did he never
disclosed it to the workers.
Under the circumstances there
was either to be a strike by the
workers against agent or boss or do
the additional work for the same
price. The workers decided to
strike. l was their leader. For
day and half Schaps and his fell
low officials used all kinds of dis
honest methods to break the unity
of the strikers, but failed. Finally
the contractors representative, So
ciack, admitted that we were en-
titled to more money for the extra
work. We then went back to work.
The adjustment, however, due to the
fact that the workers and officials
were fighting one another, was ac-
tual robbery, because we received
only about one-third of the price we
were entitled to for the additional
work.
; ; Shortly after that the contractor
wanted some more extra work done
on the same operation The same
agent. after winning over several
workers on the section, by promis-
ing them his influence to promote
their standing in the political ma
chine of the union, as we'll as more
lucrative jobs in the shop, said at
first that he would fight for more
money for the new work. However,
when he realized that he had brought
about disunity among the workers
by having the few henchmen work
for him, declined to obtain an adj
iustment on the new work.
Disregard Award.
/ then took the case to the Trade
BOARD, at which a hearing was
granted by the chairman, DR.. Null
lenbach. DR.. Mullenbach decided
against the contractor and for the
workers claim, on the ground that
extra work means more money, re-
CARELESS of conditions existing in
ether shops who make the same
grade of work.
However, it took about eight
months before the Trade Boards
decision was carried out. For eight
months Schaps sought to disregard
that decision. For eight months he
delayed making the adjustment, in
the hope that he would find a way
that would Justify his disregarding
the boards decision. And he almost
succeeded when l was absent from
the city for awhile l was informed
of his attempt to disregard the de-
cision and l Immediately returned.
The boards order was then carried
cut, but he succeeded, on technical
grounds, ir removing me from the
shop.
then registered a complaint with
the manager of the union, Sam Lee
vine. At that time did not know
that Levine co-operated with the
agents in the granting Of conces-
sions to bosses. OF course it was
a mere joke to bring complaints to
The manager under these circum-
stances. However, since I had no
intention of prosecuting Schaps at
that time, | was satisfied with hav-
ing the case on record, believing, at
the same time, that this would be a
lesson for him not to do the same
thing in the future. This, however,
was mistake.