The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-04-19
RED CROSS FIRM
SLASHES WAGES
or MACHINISTS
Speed-up Is Slow Death
to New Jersey Workers
On a Worker Correspondent

NEW BRUNSWICK, n. j., (By
aiD.-First I want to say few
words about the machinists in the
Johnson and Johnson medical sup
ply factory here in New Brunswick.
The management Of the factory de-
cided to Law off number Of them.
They did it in such a tricky way
that they did not tell the workers
they were going to be laid off.
But they transferred the workers
to different departments and put
them to common labor. Naturally
their meager wages were cut still
more, and if anyone dared to kick
he was simply told, "If you don't
like it, you can 60"
The Packing Room
The conditions in the packing
room are deplorable. There is no
limit to the speed up. The foreman
does not even speak to the workers,
only in case a good present" is
brought to him. He very eagerly
accepts "smalr' presents. But at
the same time he speeds up his
chasers (section foremen) and
they, in turn, speed up by so much
more the other workers. He looks
like the German kaiser when you
ask him for something. He acts as
if he would hit you when you say
anything to him. He ought to be
done away with like the German
workers did away with their ruler.
The dust in the packing room is so
thick, that the workers can hardly
see each other There is not enough
ventilation. A majority of the
workers are young workers and
they all look so pale and sick as
though they would have just come
from the hospital after a long i'll
ness The wages here, considering
the terrible speed up, are not what
they ought to be. The workers in
this department ought to be the
first ones to organize and demand
better conditions and higher wages
for their labor.
In the wash-roo1l, as in the other
departments, the conditions are far
from being even half way what
they ought to be. Here the wet
gauze is poured out of big tubs
The workers must work bare footed
in this department. It is one of the
hardest jobs in the factory, and one
which ruins the health of the work
ers. Here the bosses are no more
generous than in the other depart
ments as far as wages are con-
cerned. The pay Of the workers
varies from 40 TO As cents per hour
The Store-house
All raw material that is necessary
for manufacture is kept in the
store-house. The workers with big
hand trucks come here to get the
material they want The workers
here work like mules, pulling big
loads all over the factory. The
workers all complain about the con-
ditions and the hard work they have
to do. Just imagine what we could
accomplish if we were organized,
and could come to the boss and
speak to him in the name of our or
ganization and demand better condi-
tons.
Wherever there is no machine to
speed up the worker, there is the
boss, and his chasers. In many de-
partments each five workers have
one chaser. If any one of US work
ers makes mistake on is compelled
to slow down bit, those workers
that have worked in the factory for
. long time are behind you in a min
ute, and we are chased like slaves.
The average age of the workers is
from 25 to 80 years. Many of the
workers complain about the condi-
tons, and about the wages. The
way it is now, those workers that
do easy work get higher wages than
those that do the hard work. Many
of the workers have hopes to be-
come an old employee and then they
will also have an easy job. But
this hope is only dream. A big
majority of us do not live long
enough to have an easy job. We
sooner get into the sanitarium, than
to an easy job. And this illusion is
keeping the workers from a real
spirit of solidarity.
Organize!
The workers ought to think for
themselves. We should not live in
hopes but in realities. We don't
want the great wealth of Mr..
Johnson. We don't even want the
tenth part Of his wealth, which he
has gathered thru our hard labor.
But we should have decent wages
and humane working conditions.
We should have our own organiza-
ton to take up our grievances and
speak to the boss in the name Of all
workers. We should have mini