The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-05-03
BY JOHN LAWSON.

At its meeting Sunday, April 90
big Six" (the local compositorS
union) decided to ask for strike
sanction from the executive council
of the International Typographical
Union. The members rejected the
newspaper publishers proposal that
all points in dispute be arbitrated,
The bosses want arbitration on
several points regarding working
conditions that have been won after
several decades of struggle.
In 1925, when the Web pressmen
were ordered by Berry to arbitrate
on such points, the men lost and it
meant more speeding up.
The demand of the men is for the
five-day week, but the officials have
dragged out the negotiations with
the bosses for the last II months.
Now the patience of the men is eX-
hausted at the meeting Sunday,
April 20, strike sanction was de-
manded-this in spite of the fact
that the steam-roller of Mr.. Rouse
(now Is years president of No. g.
tried to refer the matter to the scale
committee for action, without taking
a vote.
First in Years
This vote is significant because no
such vote has been taken since 1919,
when the job men, not the news
paper men, went on vacation" be-
cause they could not obtain strike
sanction from the executive council.
By the I. T. U. rules only the eX-
ecutive council has the right to order
a strike vote to be taken.
During the last six years, four
wage scales have been negotiated
and the bosses have dragged out ne
gotiations; then the officials man
aged in each case to force the men,
bership by various tricks to accept
the terms offered. The shorter work
week was the issue each time. But
this time the men are determined to
get the five-day week.
Bosses for Open Shop
There is an aggressive bosses
organization, the Typothetae. 1t has
an open shop and closed shop di-
vision, and is in the forefront of all
open shop campaigns. The Ameri-
can Newspaper Publishers Associa-
ton has just concluded it's conven-
ton and has considered the New
York situation with its possibilities
of strike on ne newspapers of the
5000 men engaged in that division.
The publishers had already is
sued some advance publicity, wish
ing to show the men are "unreason-
able" in demanding six days pay
for five days work. At a recent
New York publishers convention,
held iii Syracuse, they decided that
they would not allow the five-day
week.
In a recent article in the News.
paper Publishers Bulletin on lower
costs per printed page in the open
shops, the publishers organization
showed its eagerness to operate on
All open shop turnout.
Over year ago, when strike
sanction Vas asked by the Albany
union, the bosses Immediately locked
out the men. By the solidarity of
the strikers and of several of the
other unions of the l. T. U. the
bosses were defeated. They wanted
the open shop and Albany was mere
ly to be an entering wedge. The |.
T. U. officialdom did not help the
Albany local very much.
Officials Look for Votes
The I. T. U. officials, local and
international, do not want strike,
but they are in an awkward posi-
ton just now. Elections are only
one month away, and since Howard,
the l. T. U. president, postponed the
introduction of the five-day week in
Chicago until 1888, he has lost the
support of that local. Therefore he
will try to postpone the rendering of
decision in the matter of the strike
sanction demanded by New York at
least until after the union elections
on May % in order not to lose the
votes of the New York local, another
stronghold.
But the men are in the mood for
strike to get the five-day week,
which they have been demanding
since 1924.
Almost two weeks have passed
since the vote was taken, but Mr..
Howard has not replied yet. But
the answer has come from the pub
fishers.
The American Newspaper Pub
fishers Association at its conven-
ton decided that member publishers
NJ 1