The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-03-17
BUREAUCRATS LET
BOSSES RETAIN
HALF OF RELIEF
Spend $4,000 of Fund
For Building

How the right wing leadership of
the Cloth Hat, Cap and Millinery
Workers Union administers the un-
employment insurance fund, the dis
tribution of which the unemployed
membership has been hopefully await
ing in this period of crisis in the in
dustry, became known yesterday
when the details of the events trans
piring at a shop chairman meeting
held Thursday night in Beethoven
Hall were learned.
Gain Unemployment Fund.
The Capmakers' Union of New
York gained an unemployment insur-
ance fund, as a concession from the
employers as a result of the brilliant
struggles for the raising of union
standards conducted by the other nee
de trades unions. The fund was to
consist of contribution by the employ
ers of three per cent of their weekly
payroll. The whole power of distribu-
ton rested in the hands of the union.
The wave of general unemployment
has been intensified in the cap and
millinery industry by the total abb
sence of organization work, which
should have been conducted by the
union as an answer to the spreading
open shops in and around New York.
Many of the unemployed workers
were eagerly waiting for the assis-
lance which $13 a week can give to a
family in such a critical period.
Shut Off Relief.
But the membership should have
known their bureaucrats better, how
ever, for an announcement was made
several weeks ago that the unemploy-
ment fund was closed by the union
management. President Zaritcky's
New York followers did not even con-
slider it necessary to ask permission
from the membership. For a certain
period they merely turned away all
those applying for relief without ad-
hitting that the unemployment fund
was officially closed. 1t was only the
constant hammering of the left wing
at the union meetings, that caused
them finally to admit that they closed
relief sources.
The officials, however, again and
again withstood the demands Of the
membership that they divulge the
reasons for closing the unemployment
insurance fund, stating in defense that
the closing was temporary.
Money Squandered.
The deep resentment growing
among the membership crystalized
Thursday at the shop chairman meet
ing, and the following simple explana-
ton offered by Zaritsky's agents.
The reason for closing the fund was
because there is no more money. But
there are reasons for that, they said,
namely that the tens of thousands of
dollars with which the employers as
sociation was in arrears, was paid by
only so per cent. This, they declared,
was in accord with a decision made by
DIR. Abelson, the impartial chairman
of the industry. The other 80 per
cent was to be kept by the bosses.
Instead of demanding from the en-
ployers that they pay interest on the
money belonging to the workers,
which they held in their possession
for so many months, the union Off
Gals allowed the bosses to keep half
Of the money. How can they deny
the ''impartiality" of the doctor"
when he renders a fifty-fifty deci-
sion.
The second reason for the absence
of money from the trust fund is be-
cause they used the remaining $40,-
coo to pay for improvements on
Beethoven Hall which is owned by
the union.