The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-04
by o. EVERETT.

BY o. EVERETT.
EDITORS NOTE-This article was written
tefore the Kensington strike started, Feb. 2. 1t
shows the background of the struggled
THE most important situation facing the Trade
Union Unity League outside of the unem-
ployment campaign, which is linked up with it.
in Philadelphia is the textile situation in Ken
sington
About six weeks ago the upholstery and carpet
textile manufacturers announced their inten-
ton of putting over a wage cut of 25 per cent
in the whole industry The trade union officials
of the United Textile Workers both the reac-
tonary international officers and the local
Musteites true to their tradition of compromise
and betrayals, started negotiations with the
bosses for the purpose, as shown by their SUISSE
qllent actions of making the workers accept
smaller Wage-cut than at first intended by the
Bosses
During the negotiations the rank and file of
the union local 25 of the Upholstery Weavers)
already working under the part-time system of
two to three days week. were pressing the of
ficials with the demand for general strike in
the industry. They sensed that the only way
to stop this wage-cut and prevent future ones
was to fight it out now. This demand was being
put forward at every meeting of the union.
first week of the IA per cent out going into eff
feet, the workers forced strike vote to be
taken and the decision was for strike by a
two-thirds majority, the vote counted STA for 2
strike and 1886 against. This vote was enough
even according to the constitutional LOCALITIES of
the A. F. of L. to call the strike
AT that meeting the president of the U. T w.
Mcmahon was present. The speech that he de-
ivered to the workers was so reactionary that he
was 'booed" down. He was trying to tell the
workers that the Communists were responsible
for this strike spirit.
That meeting lasted for more than 4 hours
After the vote was taken many workers left the
hall, and the officials were able to out-maneuver
the decision by later motion to postpone the
date of the strike until the endorsement of the
International officials Having already come to
an agreement with the bosses accepting a IA
per cent wage cut they were afraid that the
rank and file would revolt and look for other
than their leadership They therefore adopted
the policy OF postponing the strike date from one
week to another in order to demoralize the
workers and kill their spirit for strike action
During this period of strike agitation the T.
U. U. U. l.. and the National Textile Workers
had issued several leaflets calling upon the work.
ers to strike as the only means to defeat the
wage cut. 1t must be said here that the leaflets
to demand a strike. The members of the N. T.
w. U. spoke to the workers outside of the meet
ing hall and advocated that the workers take
matters into their own hands by electing rank
and file shop committees in the shops and strik-
ing in spite of the officials
4. While this situation was developing in the up
holstery textile weaving, the hosiery manufac-
turer5 haG started wage cutting campaign
ranging between 25 per cent and 40 per cent.
These wage cuts are being put over both in the
organize, and unorganized mills The situation
is developing fast here Happenings of the fol-
lowing nature are taking place in Kcpsington:
The workers Of the Franklin Hosiery Mill were
given cut of 25 per cent; this mill was I'M
organized The workers Immediately went on
The result of the strike was not only defeat
but defeat that lowered the prestige OF the
TUUL. Fad the workers been defeated in a
militant struggle they would have understood
that everything possible was done to develop
their forces but that they had to retreat before
superior forces. In place of this they were not
developed as strikers, they we're not organized
The TUUL did not step forward as their leaders
and they returned to work in demoralized con-
dition The workers were not made to under
stand that it was their strike and many went
back to work with the feeling that they were
nisled into strike st
Froh the inadequate preparations for and in
correct conduct CT this strike, the TUUT, must
learn lessons. The united front from below does
not mean hiding the TUUL, but means bringing
forward the TUUL as the organization that leads
the workers on the economic field. Had this
been brought forward properly and emphasized
the workers themselves would have demanded
organization from the beginning.
The task now is to organize the militant con-
facts working in the shop and the organizing OF