The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-10
Silk Workers Call
Meet In Allentown
to Enforce Gains
A. F. of L. Head Orders
Strike Ended on
MIRA Settlement"

ALLENTOWN, Pa, Nov. 8. - The
Allentown Silk Workers Union and
the Ribbon Workers Association, both
affiliated to the United National
Strike Committee, have called con-
ference for Saturday, at 2 pm. at
80 North Second Street, Of all shop
committees, regardless Of union am
liation, to enforce the concessions
won In the silk strike, now ended.
This conference will have as It's main
purpose to take steps to enforce the
s25 minimum wage and the promise
OF no discrimination made by the
MIRA. as settlement" but which
the manufacturers have no intention
Of conceding.
The strike was ended on Monday,
after Sam Mackri, president Of local
10 of the American Federation Of Silk
Workers (UTW), had issued state
ment in the morning papers on his
own authority, and without warning,
ordering the silk strikers back to
work. Mackri stated that the govern
ment ordered the strike to end and
that in order to show the government
'their good faith" the men should
return to work. This order was given
without signing any agreement, and
without any guarantee that the pro-
misses of Senator Wagner and the
MIRA. Labor Board, would be kept.
The Allentown Silk Workers Union
Immediately issued statement to
the workers, attacking Mackri's be-
trayal. The militant union pointed
out that Mackri was dividing and
confusing the workers by ordering
them back, and was betraying the
Paterson and Easton strikers, They
proposed calling a conference of the
Paterson and Easton strikers before
making any decision. They pointed
out that the MIRA. decision OF S25
was not taken seriously by the NR.A.
or the silk manufacturers, and that
the MIRA. put it forward as move
to get the strikers back to work with
out an agreement and under the old
conditions. The strikers went back
on Monday to prevent q division OF
the workers ranks.
The Allentown Silk Workers Union
and the Ribbon Workers Association,
with combined membership Of 5000,
both affiliated to the United National
Strike Committee, have kept their
forces intact. They came out Of the
strike with a larger membership,
secured agreements in several mills
which included recognition of the
union or the shop committee and
gained some concessions, The 1900
members Of the Ribbon Workers AS
ISOLATION, secured recognition Of their
union and an agreement which in
Guided the SIS minimum wage and
an increase which averages So a week.
The Allentown Silk Workers Union
and the Ribbon Workers Association
point out that the leaders Of the UT.
w. in Allentown, headed by Mackri,
have broken the ranks Of the strik-
ers by placing faith in the govern
ment and the MIRA. and expecting
them to fight the bosses. This be-
trayal is all the more glazing, since
at meeting Sunday called by the
A. r. of L. the strikers voted I'm
dllInOLSly 10 TblldlIl Oll oIAlhC diiu
send committees to see the bosses
and determine their intentions.
Mackri in his statement to the work
ers Monday morning orderiu them
back to work, said that he would rely
on the "good faith" of the manufac-
turers that they would not discri-
inmate and would pay the $25 mini
mum. But the manufacturers of
Allentown, through their spokesman,
John McGilnsy, had already stated,
and repeated Sunday and Monday,
that they would not pay the pro-
posed scale.
Discrimination is now being car
ried out. In the Allentown Silk mill
company 80 active strikers were not
re-hired and are being kept out Of
the mill.
The strike in the Easton section of
5000 workers under the leadership
of the National Textile Workers I'm
| ion Is still on.