The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-09-18
By EDITH BERKMAN.
IN. T. w. Organizer.)


WHILE the unorganized workers in many parts
of the country are now striking against
wage cuts, the officials of the American Fedora
ton of Full Fashioned Hosiery Workers the
majority of whom are Musteites or progress
sives" are forcing wage cut agreement on the
hosiery workers. This agreement is turning the
union into an open company union.
Let's read some of the points in the agree
n1ent:
l. 80 to IS per cent wage cut
2. The check-off system for the collection of
dues and assessments
8. The employer reserves the right to lock
out any department where the members of the
union refuse to carry out the decisions of the
impartial chairman. Such jobs SO affected by
lockout will remain as union jobs and the union
SO empowered to fill such vacancies so caused.
my emphasize. b
4. The contract will be of one year duration
5. The employers refuse and the Union with
drew the demand for a weekly guarantee for
knitters SIS, for boarders $40 and for toppers
$3.50 for twenty-five weeks in the next six
months.
When we examine these few points, out of
the 20 point agreement, we can easily see for
ourselves how this union at one time militant
organization, has turned into an open COM
pany union.
Methods Used to Put the Wage Cut Agreement
Over.
The old agreement expired Sept. 1st During
the first week of July the negotiating commit
tee started negotiations in one of the most ex-
pensive hotels in Philadelphia The bosses ask
for so per cent wage cut to stabilize the in
dustry Ito make more profit to compete with
the open shops and to secure more work for
the union members.
special convention was called in Reading
and to give grounds for the need of the wage
cut the unorganized workers of Reading were
called upon to strike for high wages. When
only six out Of 10000 workers came out on strike
the workers were named scabs, the strike called
off and the convention transferred to Philadel-
phia. Here the new wage cut agreement was
read to the delegates. The officials spoke in
favor of the wage cut, but blamed the Reading
workers for the wage cut. The National Textile
Workers Union gave out leaflets and through
other organizational means tried to convince
the workers what the agreement really meant
When the vote was taken the majority voted
against the wage cut agreement.
Hand Picked Delegates.
OF course this was not rank and file con-
vention Most of the delegates were hand picked
or officials of the union. The officials succeeded
to raise the question again and through re-
vote they received majority vote for the agree
ment. Now the various locals have to vote on
the agreement. Paterson voted il down. In
Philadelphia, the home of all the officials, the
, vote was $50 for the agreement and 461 against
The officials claim membership of over 5000
here and out of this number only 750 voted for
the agreement. The vast majority stayed away
from the meeting being disguised, having no
confidence in the officials and the union.
Why Did Some Workers Vote For the Wage Cut
Agreement?
Those workers, most of whom have been out
of work, or on strike for the last months, who
voted for the wage cut, because the officials as
sured them that this will give more work to the
union workers. That by giving present to the
mill owners of 80 to As per cent of their wages
the union shops will take away the orders from
the non-union shops, this again will give work
to the unemployed union members And the
most important argument was that by taking
the wage cut for one year the industry will be
stabilized and good days will come back. Those
voting for the wage cut agreement will soon find
out that this wage cut and company union
agreement will bring down their wages lower,
will not give more work TO the unemployed
union members The wage cut taken by the