The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-10-08
YOUNG WORKERS
QTknTlAlN EEEENT
OIRnIIESU NH6E
!. $40 PER week
Hillman Gang Tries to
Hinder Drive
lBy a Worker Correspondent

I'm the city of Philadelphia there
are about $4,000 clothing workers.
For the last couple of years the left
wing in the Joint Board of the
Amalgamated Clothing Workers has
oeen advocating the organization of
these clothing workers, who, to rhe
greatest extent, are unorganized.
At last the general executive board
Of the union, under pressure, has
decided to help them in the drive.
We find, though. that instead of
letting the Joint Board develop the
drive the G. E. B. sent in some die
tators, such as Blumberg, with full
power to override the actions Of the
local Joint Board. The reason this
bis done is because Hilman and his
;.clique are not really interested in the
Organization of the clothing work
dNrs, but are interested to make a
gesture to show the members that
they are doing something, and this
.Jis one of the most effective ways
Ito check the drive.
:. Bad Conditions.
IL But in spite of the wishes of the
dc. E. B. the workers are responding
to the drive. The workers in the
Philadelphia market are very under
Vpaid. The young workers start for
s.about $40 per week. After work
ing for several years in the trade
rrthe young workers get around 500
per week. The introduction Of the
speed-up system makes the already
e5ad conditions worse. The unsani-
r,tary conditions in the clothing fac
I tories, as the dust in the air, makes
o'he conditions of the young work
trs amongst the worst in the city
q The Young Workers (Communist)
.eague, as we'll as the 7. U. E. L.,
have issued leaflets appealing to the
workers to join the union and to
cguard against betrayals.
G The leaflet of the Young Workers
vfCommunist) League reads in part:
eve know that many of you do not
want to join the union because you
ql-now how the leaders of the union
/ abetrayed the workers. This is no
lsexcuse. The thing to do is to join
Il the union and to guard against be-
Il trayals." The leaflet then goes on
!, to say: "You must demand that the
organization drive is carried on by
liza committee elected by the members
neend this committee is to have full
T say in the drive. You must form
sfon committees, on which there
should be young workers. You must
demand that no agreement be signed
without the approval of the mem
sbership."
Youth Demands.
The Young Workers (Communist)
League proposes the following de-
.Inands to be adopted:
/. Twenty-Five per cent in
crease in wages to all workers.
2. An additional 10 per cent
increase in wages to the young
workers receiving S25 or less per
week.
8. A minimum wage of 500 per
week.
! A. Unemployment insurance.
IS. A 5-day, 40-hour week.
I6.g Abolition of piece-work.
IL. Equal pay for young and
old workers for the same kind Of
work
s. a two weeks vacation with
pay for all young workers work.
ing in the shop six months or
more, the vacation to be during
the summer months.
9. Recognition of the union
and shop committees.
The Young Workers (Communist)
League in the leaflet that it issued
to the Young clothing workers calls
upon them to join the League as an
organization that fights not only to
better their immediate conditions,
but as an organization that fights
% abolish the system that makes it
POSSIBLE for young workers to be ex-
plotted as the young clothing work
ers are Already several young
clothing workers have Joined the
League.
1t is obvious that if the clothing
workers will want to win their de-
mands they must prepare for gen.
eral strike. In this strike it will be
the young workers who will have tc
play an important role. 1t is there
fore important that steps be taker
to mobilize the young workers be-
fore the strike. The Joint Board
which several months ago elected g
special youth committee, should al
this time activIze this committee
and charge them with preparing al
kinds of youth activity preparatory
to the strike.
The only way the clothing work
ers IN Philadelphia can improve
their conditions and win union |;
by wide organization and by the
rank and file controlling the union
and by working for a general strike
\ CLARENCE MILLER.
DOUBLE SHOOTING.