The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-25
The Philadelphia Strike

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THE Philadelphia transport workers strike Of 10000
is OF great significance because 1t has united
Tkers in various branches of the trade in general
struggle behind the taxi drivers vctimized by the
bosses and the MIA
The greatest danger facing the strike is The betrayal
Of the A. F. Of L. leadership. In the face Of this
danger the workers must Knit their ranks soldly and
do everything to make the strike 100 per cent effective
First those union leaders which for various reasons
have withdrawn or voted against continuing the strike
must be exposed among their rank and file The
rank and file should demand continued participation
and spread of the strike.
The top strike committee, consisting of nine mem
bers, from each union should be broadened out
with larger representation Tor each local In this
way, the strikers will have opportunity Of
pressing their viii on the leading body.
All of the strikers should be drawn into mass
ricketng, and appeals should be made directly by the
strike committee to all the other transportation work
ers to join the strike
BY this means, not only will the main demands of
the strike be won-for the taxicah driveTs-but all
of the workers involved will be able to force higher
wages, better conditions for their union members
For this end, also, the strike demands should be
enlarged being drawn up and discussed by the rank
and file in the locals.
THERE is no doubt that the National Labor Board
and the leaders of the A F. OF L. in Washington
will take a more open hand in strikebreaking
AL workers should be warned against their trickery
They will threaten the strikers Tobin of the
teamsters has already done, with the 'iegalty" of
the strike. But united efforts of the workers can
defeat these threats. All of the proposals of the
A. F. of L. leaders, working with the very National
Labor Board that has permitted the bosses to defeat
the workers and has urged against the strike
be rejected The workers should make their de-
mands and stick to them, winning behind their de-
mands all of the transportation workers,
There is yet confusion among the workers
about the NRA They make division between the
original purpose of the NR.A. and the manner it is
working out. The NRA. intended to do just
exactly what the Philadelphia transport workers
experiencing. The MIRA. is lowering wages. 1t is
worsening conditions Then acts to break the strikes
and tries to divide the workers when they act. With
this clearly in mind, the workers can meet every
move of the MIRA (and the A. F. of L. officials sup
porting it) and defeat it.
A T THE same time, the Communist Party and the
II Trade Union Unity League, the most devoted
fighters in the of the workers have the greatest
tasks and responsibilities
Our task is to lead in the fight against the be-
trayals of the A. F. of L. leadership. We have the
duty of helping forge a real united front of all
workers around the issues Of the strike For this end
the whole Party must be aroused action Especially
the units and sections show their initiative by
discussing how they help the strike and then
it 100 per cent effective among the drivers
Now, in the very midst of the strike, the Party
should ask itself: Have done all we might to
meet the situaton?" Are we performing our Com
munist duty of being the most militant energetic and
most devoted fighters for the unity of the workers
for the victory of the striker"
Future leaflets in the strike should go beyond the
first leaflet already issued The Party should strive
to overcome all tendencies to underestimate the readi
ness of the rank and file workers in the A. F. of L,
to fight This involves the question of our persistent
work within the A. F. Of L. We must see the nNlitancy
OF these workers, know how to work with them to
form united front and give them the decisive lead
ership which only the Communist Party can give
WHILE concentrating all energies on making the
" present general truck drivers strike 100 per cent
effective, we should raise the slogan of spreading the
strike to all transportation workers (sreet cars sub
ways, etc), in our agitation, appealing particularly
to all P.R!T. workers to spread the strike This
necessitates detailed agitatonal campaign against
the Mtten Plan and the company union, proposing
concrete of organization and struggles for
these workers
The real test of how the Communist Party lives
to its leadership and responsibility will be shown
by its future action in this strike The PHILADELPHIA
strike is symptom Of the rising strike wave 1t is
on higher level than past strikes because it refuses
to be bound by the orders of the MIRA It has the
advantage Of broad united front in support of one
group OF workers. 1t opens the way for great and
effective strike of all transportation workers
The workers are fighting. 1t is now I'D to the
Party to increase its leadership and to throw all its
orces behind the strike to defeat the berayas of the
A F. Of l. bureaucracy and the maneuverings Of the