The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-09-12
Steel
Workers Get A
Wage Cut
nv CARL BRADLEY.

n per cent became effective on September End
for all tin mill workers at Sparrows Point total
ling approximately more than two thousand
workers. These workers consist Of in the mAlns
are rollers, heaters, roughers, heater helpers,
screw boys, pair heater single boys, catchers, all
OF which work in the hot mill Also the shear
men and openers working in the shear floor Of
the tin mill got their wages cut the same as the
hot mill workers
Within period Of year and half the
shearmen got wage cuts of 51s per cent, 10 per
cent and Az per cent, but during this period
received a small increase of per cent to put
over the handle over attachment on the shear
men which will mean longer hours of work with
out extra pay. The openers in a period OF
eighteen months received cuts Of 81, and
AZ per cent The hot mill workers in the same
period Of time received wage cuts of Az, IL and
Az per cent and cut averaging from 3 to IL
per cent fluctuating on the basis of gauge Of
steel and the particular position the mill.
The above clearly shows the methods used by
the bosses that eventually amount to slashing
cut into the workers standard of living. The
policy of small wage cuts is pursued and taking
place in one department at time instead of
cutting all the departments on Sparrows Point
at the same time.
To certain degree this policy of the company
works out as the workers remain docile to small
vastating effects is actually resulting and not
being aware that another wage cut will follow
However at this time, there is definite sign Of
resentment for the wage cut causing an ever
increasing desire to fight back the wage cuts on
the part of the workers.
Is there basis for this feeling on the part
of the workers? Yes The series of wage cuts
is the first reason. Second the stagger system
of the tin mill is playing havoc with the workers
income and without exaggeraton actual starva-
ton is confronting many tin mill workers. The
mill is working only "a mills, that is so per
cent, and the men change about every week.
OF the two weeks in the month that they work
they only put in six or seven days month.
That's not all, OF these days that they work,
they must take on level hand at least one
or two days of the seven days. The level hand
system in effect in the hot mill forces the work
er to take on an extra every week for one
day and divide half of his days pay with the
worker who is the extra man. Actually for a
period of a month the tin mill workers get from
SIS for the unskilled and as high as $40 for the
more skilled workers of the hot mills. This
means starvation.
Eliminate Workers.
In the case of the snearmen, added to the
wage cuts, the company is going to put on the
handleover which means elimination OF 4S feed
boys and the frightening of hours of work for
the shearmen to accomplish the same tonnage.
The openers who wait on the shearmen must
likewise work longer hours Not only this but
the company will eliminate about is openers
and work with small force. Forty-eight feed
boys working on the shears will be fired out of
the mill. The stick pullers are working only
two or three days week at a very low wage.
The bosses are running around like hawks the
slightest infraction of bethlehem discipline"
ments that go in the crucible of creating
fighting spirit on the part of the workers Is
rapidly being mixed. The workers of Bethlehem
Steel Mill will fight and they are going to fight
hard when they get started.
Now the organiZational basis of the Metal
Workers Industrial League must be strength
ened, as result of these attacks on the steel
workers. The Grievance Committee must be
created in every part of the mill Grievance
Committees must be organized on each motor.
The hot mill workers must take the initiative
to call together some trusted workers to his
home and build up whole network of commits
tees that viii lbe Knitted together for one grand
offensive against the steel company tactics
Militant class conscious workers must join the
Metal Workers Industrial League and take it
upon themselves to organize Grievance Commit
tees and discuss conditions at a convenient place
with the workers.
Meetings will be held in Dundalk Edger-.2-e.
Highlandtown and Turner's Station every week
on the streets where the workers can listen to
speakers.
The workers must be present to hear the
speakers of the Metal Workers Industrial
League and also to protect the speakers from
attacks of company hired thugs who will be paid
or melted to bust up meetings. Defense corps
will be needed to protect the meetings against
the police who will bust up meetings and ar
rest speakers under instructions from the Beth
lehem Steel Company.
Fellow steel workers. Organize the Grievance
Committee! Join the Metal Workers Industrial
League! Lay the organizational basis for fight
ing against more wage cuts that will come