The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-05-21


ization, the leadership of the Millinery
Hand Workers Local 43, sent the
following letter to their general exc
cutive board. The letter, while adj
dressed to the g. E. B., is at the same
time an appeal to the international
Union membership. The letter is be-
ing published in two installments, the
first of which follows:
Greetings:
"The decisions embodied in your
letter Of April Both was submitted tc
our general membership meeting held
on May 3rd. BY unanimous instruc-
ton of this meeting, we are herewith
filing an appeal to the next conven-
ton against the decision Of the Gen
eral Executive Board.
G. E, B. Betrayal.
at is the firm opinion of our mem
bers that the action of the Genera
Executive Board in ordering Local AZ
to disband is without any authority,
illegal, contrary to the decisions OF
the convention, and detrimental to the
interests of our members. Our sub
mission to this decision would con-
stitute a betrayal of the interests OF
our members as well as to the inter
asts of the members of the Interna-
tional as q whole. ...,.-te-,~
"There isn't single case in the his
tory of our organization when such
drastic action against local was
taken without a convention decision
and without consulting the members
of the local whose very existence the
decision seeks to wipe out. Let US
quote an example which is matter
of record. In the case of Locals q
and 80, the actual amalgamation o;
these locals was brought about only
after a decision of the 1923 conven
ton and a further mandate of thu
1925 convention. In view of this pre-
cedent and others which are matters
of record, it is impossible to assign
any reason having anything to d,
with the welfare of our workers fol-
this unauthorized attempt of the G
E. B. to force Local 43 to transfer its
members to Local "a, and to accom-
plish it at breakneck speed
Action Illegal
Moreover, this action is clearly
unconstitutional and contrary to the
decisions of the last convention. The
constitution does not authorize the
G. E. 3. to disband a local union I'M
less it be on charges specified in the
constitution, and only after a trial
No charges of any kind were made
against our local, nor was it given
any trial. The G. E. B. thus exceeded
It's authority, and its decision cannot
therefore, be binding.
what is more, our last convention
unanimously adopted resolution in
7tructing the G. f. B. to establish q
Toint Board Of Locals "a, AZ and 43
The convention is the highest body of
cur international. The G. +. B. there
fore has no right to override the de-
c'sion of the last convention; to order
under cover Of so called Amalgama-
ton, the disbanding of local. We
insist that the decision of the G. E. B
is unconstitutional, and is contrary tc
the decisions of our last convention
and is therefore, null and VOID.
at is known to the G. E. B. as well
as to the entire membership that VIC
are the strongest advocates of Anal
gamation, and that we have giver
ample proof of this in many declara-
tions, and particularly in the proposal
Of our delegation to the convention Of
1925. (Resolution No. 36) That pro,
posal called for the complete amalga-
nation of Locals "a, AZ and 49, This
proposal, if carried out, would have
brought about what is known to every
| union man and woman as amalgama.
ton, and the decision for a Join
Board, if carried out, as instructed
| by the last convention would have
paved the way for a real unity ant
amalgamation.
Fake Amalgamation.
"But the G. f. B. has never made {
serious effort to carry out the con
vention decision. Instead of coins
that, the G. E. B. has proceeded t
dismember, disband and disrupt Loca
43 which was built up by the untirine
work and self-sacrifice of our mem
bers,. under the leadership of pro
i,gressive and militant workers. Canon
flaging the disbanding of Local 43 a
"amaleamation,' the G. e. B. decided
that "ail present members of Loca
43 be, and are herewith automaticall,
transferred to and become MEMBER
Of Local "a" Merely transferring
members arbitrarily from one loca
to another is not amalgamation, but
disruption. We wish to recall to yol
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