The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-03-03
BY ANDREW oyERGAARD


THE strike movement Of the au-
i tomobile workers in Detroit,
which began in the Briggs Water
loo Plant and ended in the splen-
did victories in the Hudson Motor
Co., compelled every plant in the
city, with the exception of Fords,
either to Withdraw wage cuts or to
increase wages in an effort to pre-
vent the spread Of the strike move
ment.
The strike movement, which was
led by the revolutionary Auto
Workers Union, resulted, first, in
the defeat Of the Briggs company's
attempt a cut Of 20 per cent in
wages in the Waterloo plant, when
500 workers walked out. The Briggs
Waterloo strike, as well as the
Auto Workers Conference on Janu-
airy %, set in motion the move
ment against the attempts Of the
automobile bosses to further cut
down the standards of living Of
the workers, and on the eve of the
conference, attended by nearly 700
delegates elected from various de-
partrnentS, including 102 from the
Ford company, received tremend-
GUS impetus by the report of the
settlement of the Motor Products
Co. and recognition Of the shop
committee, with the result that the
strike spread Immediately into the
Briggs Co., Mack Avenue and Hy-
land Park plants.
The settlement Of the Motor
Products Co. with the workers re-
suited in almost 100 per cent Or
ganization into the Auto Workers
Union. over 1000 of the 1900
workers joined the union, includ-
ing engineers who were not called
on strike. In the Briggs Hyland
Park. plant the workers won the
demand for increased minimum
wage rates and the abolition Of
dead time (unpaid time).
WIN 10 TO 20 PER CENT
WAGE INCREASES
The strike of more than 1000 Of
the Hudson Motor Car Co. ended
on Feb. 10, with the following de-
mands granted:
1. Increase in wage rates from
10 TO 20 per cent.
2. Increase in bonus rates from
10 to rs per cent.
3. One hours pay guaranteed if
men are called to work and not
put to work.
4. Adequate Of relief workers in
production lines.
5. No Victimization of workers
active in the strike and in the
building Of the Union.
6. New or improved tools for
workers.
Z. No workers to lose job until
absent 10 days instead of 5 days
as in the past.
8. Improved ventilation, especi-
ally in Spraying Department.
9. Physical examinations to be
cut down to minimum.
The workers in the Hudson plant
went back practically 100 per cent
organized and pledged themselves
to proceed to build the union on
the basis of department and shop
delegate committees. The winning
of the Hudson Strike marked the
5th victory under the leadership
of the Auto Workers Union. The
strike which still remains unset
tied is the Briggs Mack Avenue
plant, where the agents of the
bosses, the I.W.W., the A. F. OF L.
and Socialist Party combination
were able to GUST the Auto Work
ers Union from leadership.
SHOWS ECONOMIC GAINS
CAN BE WON
Tho defeat of the wage cuts and
the winning of substantial in
creases and settlement of many
grievances in these plants first Of
all shows to the workers that it is
possible in spite of the economic
crisis and mass unemployment. to
win economic gains for the work.
ers, and at the same time shows
that the strike weapon, in spite of
the propaganda of the American
Federation of Labor takers, is one
of the most important ones for the
working class in its struggle to de-
feat The bosses offensive.
THE strike movement in Detroit
was not only q result OF the
tremendous dissatisfaction Of the
workers, but Of the conscious and
determined preparation by the
Auto Workers UNION. which seri-