The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-01-21
ORGANIZATION EXPERT
ENCE; PACKINGHOUSE
CENTER

tENIER
| WISH to speak about the ex-
periences in a clearinghouse
center 1t is a city which has about
5000 population, mostly packing
house workers. We have there two
larger corporations, and some small
independent plants.
In one Of the small plants a wage
cut of IS to 20 per cent was an
nounced. These workers were
members Of the ALL. They ex-
pressed their willingness, however,
to talk over matters. We issued a
leafiet on the facts we obtained
and we visited the workers again.
They agreed to come together In
a house. We discussed the prob
lens and found that they want q
real union. The main question
they raised is that our organixa-
ton is aaginst religion and that
they don't think they can belong
to an organization which is fight-
ing religion. They also raised the
question of Communism.
DURING the discussion which
~ lasted about three hours we ex-
planned to them that one can be
a member OF the union without
being a Communist, or giving up
his religious beliefs as long as he
is willing to organize to fight for
his immediate demands. After this
meeting they raised certain ques-
tons as to wage cuts and other
grievances. They pointed out that
they are no longer getting paid
time and a half for overtime. They
felt that they could not get the
previous wages, but that they could
get the overtime back to time and
half.
We decided to Call another meet
ing and at this meeting we had
seven workers and they decided to
organize the workers in their de-
partment mainly on the issue Of
overtime. In the next meetings
we had already 20 workers.
The question raised by them was
that the day before they worker
fifteen minutes overtime without
getting paid for it. We decided to
demand the overtime back. We
had a strong group organized in
the department and they felt that
this department can win the over
time back. The next day they
were told by the manager to work
overtime and the committee which
they elected at the meeting told
them that they would work only If
they got their overtime pay. They
started talking to the workers and
after about FIVE or ten minutes
they got their overtime pay.
THEN the question of the COM
munlty chest came up. The
workers were told they had to pay
thirty cents a week for something
like six months, this would have
amounted to seven or eight dollars,
which they were to give to the
chest. All the workers we're against
it. This issue was discussed and
decided to refuse to contribute to
the Community Chest. The de-
partme11t group decided To mobilize
other departments to stop pay
ment to the community chest. The
result was that during two weeks
time they prepared this work,
When the manager, the represen-
tative from the community chest
came to ask for donations, every
worker told him they we're not go
ing to pay. The result was that,
with the exception OF a few, all the
workers refused to pay.
Thru these partial struggles, we
were able to establish organization
in three departments. Now they
have three department. committees,
and representatives from all the
others.
Only q few days ago when one
workers was fired they were able
to stop the firing. Sixty workers
walked out; they said II you fire
this workers, we refuse to work.
They insisted they would not go
back to work II the worker was
fired.
rHESE workers are all old timers.
About dozen of them partici-
pated in the ALL. strike In 1921
%. They now decided to establish
groups in the big plants.
WEAKNESSES
But we have few weaknesses.
While we have fifty workers In
these plants we haven't one Party
member in the plants. We are
taking steps to get members--a few
of the best in the group into
the Party.
THESE partial victories have help
ed, and there Is talk going on
among the workers for our move
nent. The A. r. of l.. has mem
bers in only one department in
one Of the big plants. In other
departments there are quite large
number Of Negro workers who are
all for our organization. Through