The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-12-28
Shoe strikers
See VIC TORY
Would Rather Starve
Than Be Non-Union
By JOSEPH GOLDBERG.

At the time this article was writ
ten, % shops have declared war
against the Independent Shoe Work
ers Union in the form of wholesale
locb-outs. These lock-outs affect
over 5000 shoe workers.
In the fight against our union the
bosses have made a united front
with the U. S. government, through
the department of labor, and with
the American Federation of Labor,
the labor-scab agencies, the Boot
and Shoe Workers, the Protective
Shoe Workers Union and the social
list party.
About three months ago the u. S.
Department of Labor, through one,
Wood, sent out letters advising the
shoe manufacturers who signed
agreements with the union to break
them because it is Communistic. In
this inspiring letter to the manufac-
turers Wood Offered full police and
assistance to smash the
Independent Shoe Workers Union.
by the labor department
the bosses began to terrorize the
shoe workers in the shops. They
the workers with depor-
tation. The answer of the shoe
workers to the bosses terror was
100 per cent rally to the union.
The crash in Wall Street brought
an early slack season in the shoe
industry. The bosses began their
strategic maneuvers by individual
lock-outs with injunctions in their
pockets. They formed the so-called
Metropolitan Manufacturers Asso-
citation, composed of the ''independ-
emit" shoe manufacturers. Along
came the Board of Trades composed
of the large manufacturers and
pledged their full moral and finan-
cial support. The capitalist courts
are busy in sending scores of strik-
ers for long Jail terms. The police
are busy clubbing and abusing the
strikers. The underworld and gangs
ters are in the pay of the manufac-
turers. The Boot and Shoe Workers
Union have become active and work
hand in hand with the manufactur-
ers to try and smash the independ-
ent union at the same time they
sign secret contracts with those
who declared war on
the workers.
Bosses Oppose Industrial Union.
The Independent Shoe Workers
have the industrial form Of organi-
zation. 1t broke the old traditions
Of craft unionism. The shoe work
ars were always before the victims
Of craft unionism. Under the old
form of unionism the shoe workers
were divided in seven locals as fol-
lows:
One cutters local, two filters To-
GALS, 3 lasters locals, four woodheel-
ers, five edgesetters, six markers,
seven finishers and packers locals.
Every one of these seven locals had
separate headquarters, a separate
executive board and two agents for
each local union. Those local unions
are scabbing against each other
most of the time. In Lynn, Mass,
we have witnessed how those locals
are used as an instrument of the
bosses to scab against one another.
When the cutters, for instance, went
on strike against the will of the
union officials) the stitchers and
the rest of the locals remained at
work. Next time the stitchers went
on strike the cutters paid them back.
This scabbing business was the re-
suit of craft locals. 1t was always
the desire of the shoe or any manu-
facturers to support such unions.
In the Independent Shoe v orkers
the shoe workers have one union.
The shop is the basis of the organ
ization. Each department has its
chairman. These department chair
men, elected by the shoe workers,
elect a general chairman and one
council member. The council men,
bers Zone from each shop) meet
once a week, at which meeting they
bring proposals and recommended
tions to the general shop chairmen's
conference (they meet once a monthly
for approval or disapproval. The
general shop chairmens conference
is the highest body of the organiza-
ton.
Conditions Improved.
Previous to the formation Of the
Independent Snoe Workers Union
conditions in the factories were
detrimental. Wage cuts after wage
cut took place, the speed-up system
reached it's highest level, the work
ing hours were from 60 to 70 a week.
In order to make weeks pay the
shoe workers had to work on Sat
urday and Sunday and holidays.
Every day the bosses introduced
new schemes, such as stock selling
(partner in business), "yellow-dog
contracts" and spy systems. The