The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-13
The n. Steel Betrayal

y
INDIGNATION ana wrath must be sweeping the 1000
Weirton Steel Co. workers when they how
they were trcked back to work October 16 by the
NRA. the steel bosses and their A. F. Of L, union
oficals.
They we're promised at that time that they would
be permitted to hold elections to pick their repre-
sentatives in the second week in December. They
we're ordered back to work by Green and the Ira.
with the promise they would have the right to Join
union Of their own choosing.
On Monday, they were informed by the president
Of the company, Mr., Weir, that the N-R~A promises
weren't worth the paper they written He told
the workers they must either join the company union
or be fired The whole scheme Of the NR,A, signed
by the officials Of the Amalgamated Association Of
Steel, Tin and Wire Workers affiliated to the NRA,
was trick to break the strike,
On the very day this agreement was signed,
the Daily Worker printed an editorial, headed by
comment made by John c. Williams, president Of the
Werton Steel Co. Mr.. williams said: Settlement of
the strike satisfactory to the company, and the long
established open shop policy Of the company is alb
solutely maintained in every respect"
The A F. Of L. officials told the workers otherwise,
that they had won a victory which the N.FA. would
guarantee The Daily Worker editorial warned the
workers at that time that: THE company viii try
to twist the voting into q company union and the
N.RA. and AmaIgamsted Association officials viii do
all they to help them
THIS is precisely what has happened
Here we have the NFA. again stripped naked as
the brutal strike breaking instrument OF the Roose-
velt regime.
During the past summer and fall a Of strikes
gripped the steel industry The workers showed
ceptonal militancy bravery and determination to win
The bosses feared that the steel strikes would become
general, involving every steel plant in the country.
In Ambridge, where the Steel and Metal Workers
TTnIoy JaI tba cfry of off
Gals failed their Shiny efforts to break the strike
The steel trust modified it's army Of fascist gunner
and by murder and bloodshed able finally to
drive the back into the mills This was one phase
of the N.R.A. Where the A. F. OF L. officials could
not keep the men from striking, they called in the
NR-A. to break the strike. What has happened in
the Weirton Steel Co. shows with glazing clearness
the criminal way in which the N.R.A, and the a. F.
Of L. officials broke the strike.
The main object of the bosses was to get the mel
back into the mills The N.R.A. played the role Oh
mediator as between the classes In reality it
the real agent of the Bosses posing the friend of
the workers. The workers were told to go back to
work and accept the forged promise of later elections
Naturally, Mr.. Wier, president OF the company,
cepted happily. He knew what it meant. Certainly
the A F. OF L. officials accepted, it the easiest
way to break the strike Now the workers paying
for this betrayal
VJEIRTON STEEL is not isolated instance. 1t Is
W just the most outstanding and most shamelessly
exposed example Of the methods of N.RA. strike
breaking in collaboration with the A. F. OF L. official
dom.
There was every possibility for winning the Weir
ton Steel strike For the first time In 20 years, this
plant was shut tighter than a drum. The strikers
fought the state troopers and were supported by the
coal miners continuation of their strike would have
brought out other mills and the company would have
been forced to come to terms.
But here the NRA. stepped in. From its actions
in this strike lesson should be scared into the
mind Of every worker
The whole demagogy of the MA is exposed in
this action at the Weirton Steel Go. The NFaA. sup
posedIy guaranteed the workers the right to organize
into unions of their own choosing. The A. F. Of L.
officials leadership assured the workers that they
were granted these rights by the N.FA At the same
time they used this very NRz. TO break these strike
struggles for the right to organize.
THE deeds of the MIA. here Gas in hundreds of other
instances) are additional proof of the Communist
analysis and exposure Of the real aims and purposes
of the MIRA
Now the Weirton Steel Co. workers have greater
tasks before them. Despite the threats Of Mr. Weir
despite the promises of the N.RA. and Senator
Wagner they should organize their shop and depart
ment committees electing their representatives
and demand negotiations wages. The whole work
ing class be rallied behind these workers. Their
fight against the NRA and its lying promises is
that affects directly the wages living conditions and
the right OF organization of all workers.
The A. F. of L. leaders should not be allowed to
escape their participation in this criminal betrayal
The rank and file of the A. F. of L. in other mills
should raise their voice in protest against their off,
Gals and the NR.A.
In Werton Steel as in other mills now there
must be active preparations for struggles to force
the bosses to grant the workers demands and to win
the right Of union organization.