The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-12-09
Railroad Workers! Organize to Strike Against
the Wage Cut!

over the entire body OF railroad labor, Id order
to add millions to the profits Of the railroad
bond and stockholders, this is the union lead
ers' program for solving the railroad unemploy-
ment situation. For railroad labor It means the
slashing OF our living standards to the bone and
going back to wages and working conditions
prevailing 30 years ago.
Refuse to Arbitrate
Beware Of Fake Strike Votes.
Various methods are being used by the COM
panies to put across the wage-cut: the making
of 10 per cent reductions" in the $4,000 per
year salaries of presidents and other high-paid
officials, the deliberate passing of dividends"
and poverty pleas, is the companies first maneu-
yer in order to bring pressure to bear upon the
workers to accept voluntary" cut Failing in
this they will use the mediation and arbitration
machinery of the Watson-Parker Railway La
Dor Act This will place the wage dispute In
the hands of government courts and arbitra-
ton boards under the control OF the railroad
corporations. If need be, the union leaders Will
at first make a pretense of opposing direct cuts,
taking fake strike votes to misead the workers,
then refer the whole question to the Watson
Parker arbitration proceedings, where the wage
cuts can be put through to the satisfaction Of
the companies If allowed by the rank and file,
this procedure means surrender to the COM
panies and that wage-cuts are certain.
What Must Be Done
Organize United Front Committees to Fight
the Wage Cut.
In the fight against wage-cuts the first step
is to vote down wage-cuts in the local lodges.
Repudiate the wage-cutting negotiations be-
tween the union leaders and companies Form
minority groups, committees to fight the wage
cut, and set up united front Of the rank and
file against this sell-out Of the grand lodge Of
ficials.
In every local lodge of the twenty-one differ
ent railroad unions and in every yard, shop
roundhouse, office and terminal in the country
organize local rank and file united front COM
mittees against the wage-cut. These commit
tees must include all workers at each pointer
ganized and unorganized, employed and unem-
ployed, Negro and white The aim Of the united
front committees is to bring about complete
unity OF action between all sections of workers
In the industry 1t is Of the utmost Importance
to draw the more than half million extra board,
part-time and unemployed railroad workers into
the fight against wage-cuts and for unemploy-
ment relief, side by side with the men on the
job. The success and welfare Of both employed
and unemp Logged Is bound up In one and the
same struggle. To permit the companies to sep
arate one section from the other would lead to
the defeat Of both, and scabbery and strikebreak-
ing. The divide and conquer" policy Of the
grand lodge officials and companies must be
prevented ut all costs.
Call Local United Front Conferences.
Call local united front conferences In the dif-
ferent railroad centers without delay and or.
ganize general united front committees to lead
the fight at each point against wage-cuts and
for better working conditions. These conferences
must be organized on the basis of rank and file
delegates elected from the local lodges OF the
Brotherhoods and A. F. OF L. railway organiza-
lions Cor from minority groups and committees
within the old unions when they refuse TO act).
local leagues Of the National Railroad Industrial
League, also delegates from the unemployed rsl-
road workers and the unorganized shops, yards,
rotmdhouseS and other places Of employment,
in order to completely unity our ranks at each
point and enable us to conduct Joint fight in
defense OF our common interests.
At the earliest possible date national rank
and file united front conference must be con-
Eened with delegates representing all classes of
railroad workers and all sections OF the country
to unite our forces nationally.
Prepare TO Strike Against the Wage Cult
There b one way, and ane Ysy enly, n vhls&