The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-17
Needle Workers
On Picket Line
tOFight Speedup
Dressmakers Strik e
Today Against Starv-
alton Wages
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- CONTINUES FROM PAGE ONE)
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alone have been reduced 80, 40 and
so per cent. The needle trades in
dustry is in the hands of Wall st. in
terests generally and in the clutches
of Lieutenant Governor Lehnan's
banking firm particularly.
Disease and malnutrition are rife
among dressmakers as a result of the
atrocious speed-up and wage slash
ing they are subjected to. Individual
complaints of workers against this
upbridled exploitation invariably re-
suits in the workers discharge.
The employers use the Iaterna-
tional Ladies' Garment Workers
Union to nlislesd some Of the dress
makers into believing that their in
terests are being taken care Of. Last
week the Daily Worker printed
photostatic copy Of a letter which
the employers protective association
sent to those bosses who were not
yet members, urging them to join the
association because it had IAN agree
ment with the I. L. G. w. which pre-
vented the calling of any strikes"
Occasional fake strikes have been
called by the I. l.. G. w. to further
the illusion that they fight to raise
the standard Of living of dressmak-
ers. Under its present leadership,
that is, ever since the nilitants left
it in a body to form the N. 7. w. I.
u, the International has betrayed
every strike" it started, and the
workers have found that their copdi-
tons have actually become worse
after these Strikes"
An example in kind is the strike of
Local 38, which the international"
has just sold out by calling off the
strike even though the workers had
been on strike for 5 months and the
season is now approaching. maxine
quick victory probable, 1.-THE "In-
ternational," Of course, never had any
intention of winning any demands,
but the reason that the "Interna-
tional' called off the strike at this
time is that 1t wants to use the STRIKE
benefits it has, been paying to the
tailors in Local 80 for the purpose of
fighting the strike which was called
today by the dressmakers in the N.
T. w. I. U. a7ts....., ,y
1t is inevitable that, workers will
learn who their enemies are, and the
result of the I. L. G.. WIS traitorous
policy is the flocking of its members
to the fight Industrial Union. Mem
bers of the I. L. G. w. are now on
all the important strike committees
of the NJ r. w. I. u. and will be on
every picket line during the strike.
The unbelievable slavery which is
the lot of the dressmakers has re-
suited in numerous spontaneous
strikes during the last few days, or
since $500 dressmakers in Lincoln
Arena last Wednesday voted unani-
mously to strike for improved condi-
tons. Two more Of these spontaneous
strikes occurred yesterday. One took
place in 81 w. 2lst ST., the Victor
Dress Co., which was an !. L. G. w.
shop. Because the dressmakers in
the shop could no longer wait for
tbs strike call, they marched over to
the N. r. w. !. U. office in a body
and signed up as members. Dress
makers in the Ingerman Dress Shop,
100 w. 31st ST., walked out half
hour later and told N. T. w. I. u.
leaders that they were ready to strike
The dressmakers are striking for
the following demands:
l. The 4o-hour 5-day week.
2. Guaranteed minimum wages:
operators, $44 a week, pressers, $50,
cutters, $50, finishers and examiners,
s28, diapers, $32, floor girls, $40.
3. An immediate increase of 20
per cent for all super exploited dress
makers, especially in the suburbs,
where the prevailing wage is SIS a
week.
4. Recognition of the Needle
Trades Workers Industrial Union.
S. The right to the job and against
discharges.
6. The abolition of discrimination
against Negro dressmakers and for
their right to work in every shop and
in every craft on the basis OF equal
pay for equal work.
z. Equal pay for equal work for all
young and women dressmakers.
8. Unemployment insurance.
At q meeting Of the General Strike
Committee on Saturday the various
subcommittee submitted reports and
the following officers were elected
Louis Lyman, chairman of the Cen
eral Strike Committee, Dave Turner
vice-chairman, and Sarah Dorner
secretary. Irving Potash, Jack Schnei-
der. and H. Koretz were elected chair
man, vice. chairman and secretary
respectively, Of the Organization
Committee.
j. Boruchowitz, chairman of the
Hall and Control Committees, A
Weissberg, chairman of the Settle
ment Committee, J. Fleiss, chairman
OF the Finance Committee, Louis Hy-
man and Sol Hertz, chairman and
secretary respectively of the Press
Committee, A. Kulkin and Betty
Klein, chairman and secretary respec-