The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-04
JOINT DECLARATION
OF The
Trade Union Unity League and
Workers Internationa Relief on the

German Metal workers Strlke
~cINCE october 18th, 100000 German metal
y workers are on strike in Berlin The gov
eminent arbitration imposed wage cut OF
per cent At the same time, it was proposed
to introduce part time work in a number OF
work shops whereby the unemployed situation
had been considerably aggravated.
While the refornist leadership OF the trade
unions and the social democratic lackeys OF
the government did everything to retain the
metal workers of Berlin from their strike-move-
ment the workers followed the call of the lead
ers of the trade union opposition and started
their action against the resistance and open
betrayal of the reformist social fascist bureauc-
racy.
The 100000 metal workers not only opposed
the 8 per cent wage cut, but Immediately drew
up the following demands:
l. Against every cent of wage cuts.
Q For the hour day and 40 hour week.
g. Twenty pfennig wage increase.
T. Equal pay for equal work for women and
youth.
5. Bread and work for the unemployed.
The attempts on the part of the officials of
the metal workers union to sell-out the workers.
was answered by the striking metal workers in
Berlin by closer solidarity and increased strike
action.
The great battle of the Berlin metal workers
of disintegration by the social reformists who
were in permanent secret conferences with the
government the minister of labor, and other
fascist agents of the bosses. They agreed on
october Goth to the proposal that the arbitration
imposing per cent wage cut reduction shall be
cancelled and new arbitration procedure
started with the aim to impose a 4 or 5 per cent
reduction.
This attempt of discrimination and treacher-
Gus policy of seIl-out was unanimously rejected
by the whole fighting front of the striking
metal workers.
Then again on October 18th, confronted with
this revolutionary upsurge on the part of these
metal workers the refornist leaders of the metal
workers union agreed to the proposal that the
arbitration shall be postponed and the work
Immediately resumed in all workshops This
was nothing also but another scheme to break
down the heroic struggle of those striking metal
workers and on the basis of this, force upon
the workers the new propose! of the govern
ment reformist leadership of taking a referen-
dunn among the organized section of the work.
ers who are on strike.
1t must be understood that many thousands
OF strikers are not members of the metal workers
union and according to the proposal of these
officials, these thousands of workers who are
unorganized and part of the revolutionary wing,
would therefore be deprived of participating in
the referendum. In view of this the officials of
the metal workers union expect to receive a
sufficient amount Of votes to force their treach-
erous program of sell-out upon these strikers.
Whatever the outcome of the reformist referen-
dunn might be- it is clear that it is proposed be-
cause of the obvious refusal on the part of the
masses to give way before the onslaught of the
metal bosses.
The strike of the metal workers in Berlin
against this per cent wage cut is not isolated
thing in itself, but part of the growing revolu-
tionary movement which is developing in all
fields of German industry
On the first of November, the collevtice agree
ment will expire in the basic industries of