The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-11-14
Needle Trades AmalgamatiOn

Heartening indeed to the masses of work
ers in the ladies' garment manufacturing in
dustry and the fur workers is the news that
these two groups of workers will soon be
amalgamated under one head into power
full union The national organization com.
mittee of the ladies' garment workers an
nounces that at its coming convention there
will be an amalgamation with the new
furriers' union whose convention will be held
the same week. This proposal has been dis
cussed and accepted by both unions.
1t was these two groups of workers in the
needle trades that suffered most from the
terror launched against them by the COM
bination of employers, Tammany police and
courts, and yellow socialist leadership. Their
once powerful unions were reduced to ruins
primarily because of the infamous treachery
of the reactionary leaders. When the rank
and file would no longer supinely submit to
wage-cuts, speed-up, lengthening of hours
and Haunting of every demand of the
workers, the reactionary leaders not only re-
fused to fight against the employers but re-
sorted to every form of violence, Intimidation
and terror against those rank and file leaders
that arose out of the struggle. The workers
in the ladies garment and fur industries
heroically faced the solid opposition extend
ing from the employers to the reactionary la
Dor leaders, who were determined to wreck
the unions rather than let them come under
the leadership of the representatives of the
rank and file-the left wing
In spite of the odds against them the work
ers in these branches of the garment industry
maintained organizations for struggle against
their oppressors. The yellow socialist leader
ship is completely discredted; they are
literally despised by the masses of workers
who once followed them. The sole defender
of the elementary demands of the workers
is the left wing leadership that is driving for
ward toward the creation of a powerful union
that will enable the workers to fight
effectively for their demands.
1t is possible for treacherous yellow lead
ers to destroy individual labor unions, but it
is not possible to destroy the labor move
ment, as the history of the needle trades
struggles eloquently shows.
The amalgamated union will teach the en-
ployers and the Tammany politicians that
they may, with the aid of opostates to the
labor movement of the type of Sigman,
Cahan, Schesinger, Kaufman & Co., de-
stroy the old-lne labor unions, but that just
DIS OlCeH DIS Iney succeed IN Cnelr designs,
just so often will there arise upon the ruins
of such unions more powerful organs of la
Dor that will realize the demands of the
workers
This amalgamation of the two former
unions is only forerunner of the amalga-
nation of all the needle trades unions into
formidable industrial union. embracing the
entire industry Not merely will the smash
ing of the old unions by the reactionary Off
cialdom invoke the most determined retalia-
ton by the workers but, under the leader
ship of the vanguard of the whole working
class, the Workers (Communist) Party, the
defeats for the old and weak unions will be
signal for determined offensive that will
result in the creation of union organizations
mightier than any that preceded them.
Not merely defense against the descriptive,
strikebreaking actions of the yellow bureau
Gratis, but the aggressive advance along the
whole front for the organization of the Amer
lean working class, is the watchword.