The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-08-31
Why Paterson Workers Strike

dampness in the shop in some cases due to the
location of the shop and in other cases due to
the nearness Of the sinking soaking raw silk.
One worker described his shop in the cellar of
building where, If there is dust or dirt it's too
dark to see it, anyhow. I only smell it." The
health and sanitary conditions in the broad silk
shops in the old mills along the race on Van
Houten St. such as the old Proenix MILL in
the old Dunlap MILL in the Wishnack Bldg, at
Mill ST., in the mills on Madison ST., such as the
Doherty and Wadsworth, and the cellar shops
on Mill St. were especially condemned by work
ers who had been employed in them.
The dye workers especially complained of
dampness and excessive humidity. In some dye
shops the windows kept closed to prevent
dust accumulation, with no other ventilation
provided. The conditions in dye houses are
similar to those found by the Workers Health
Bureau of America in its intensive study of the
dye plants of Passaic and vicinity in 1926 and
described by Grace Hutchins of the Labor Re-
search Association in her book Labor and Silk"
Practically all workers reported filthy and
dusty work rooms and complete lack of sanitary
toilets In all cases, the workers are compelled
to sweep the floor near their machines the time
spent on this coming out of their own pockets
especially if they are employed on piece-work
basis
OF the 25 weavers examined Is estimated
losses due to breakdown of machines ranging
from 50 to IS a week. Delays in repairing of
machines were attributed to Che antiquated ma
chinery or to the excessive load of work piled
on the loom-fixer.
The filming sySten-a common grievance in
all textile millS-prevails for all crafts in the silk
In cases where it does not exist the workers
are fired if the material is damaged. Some 80
of the workers report fines for damaged ma
terial The usual charge by the workers is that
the boss fines them at will and determines arbi-
trarily the amount to be paid by the worker
Often the boss does not even show the worker
the imperfect fabric, but, in spite of this fact
the worker is either forced to pay or quit the
job. Weavers contend that the damages are
due not to their carelessness but to the cheap
and defective machinery used
Examples of the amount and types of fines
common in the Paterson shops are: S1.5O for
finger mark, 81 to $2.40 for missing end or
thread in piece of woven fabric, S. for an I'M
specified damage which the boss refused to show
to the worker, $3.50 fine on warper for waste"
Speed-Up..
Every single worker interviewed complained
of the speed-up system. The weavers in par
tcular rebelled against having to operate more
looms. Whereas before two looms were the rule
the four-loom system has been common since
1924 The bosses are now trying to introduce
the six-loOm system even on old and dilapidated
machines Wrappers likewise complain of in
creases in the amount of work required and ad-
ditions to the number of spndles and bobbins
they have to run on a warp. Dye workers re-
port new electrically operated machine which
enables man to do the work of five but
with a much greater strain and fatigue load on
the worker. Other dyers told of charts used to
spur on the night shift to keep up with the
standards set by the day shift. The output of
dyers is now almost double that of few years
ago, due to the faster pace at which they are
forced to work. Quill winders report working on
SO spindles instead of 40, as formerly A loom
fixer has to tend At looms, instead of the former
36, and in many instances he has to tend 100
with only one helper to assist him. Winders
before 1924 would run only three "Sides" and
earn from $18 to $22 week for eight hours.
Today these winders tend four sides" and earn
about 80 cents an hour, or about $3.50 or less a
week when they put in full time The girls
complain that they cant keep our ends up"
and that the silk breaks more often than for
merly.
Accidents.
AS a result of the furious speed-up. accidents
are on the increase. Fourteen weavers report
accidents from flying shuttleS with absolutely
no prevention measures undertaken by the man
agement Nine others report that screens used
to protect the workers are usually full of holes
or not large enough to give real protection.
Other accidents are caused by the breaking of
betting or shafts, and the oil on the floor, which
makes speeded worker slip and fall. One re-
ports that he laid up for a week from such
an accident, but received no compensation. An
other of these workers, whose foot was caught
in an unguarded machine, was laid up for four
weeks and received a total of only $28 in COM
pensation. Wrappers, forced to lift heavy warps
unassisted, report many ruptures. Dyers like
wise tell of many burns and fingers caught in
unguarded machines.
No Unemployment INSURANCE.