The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-07-29
Roosevelt Blanket Code Means
New Attacks on Wages, Says TUUL
Fixes Minimum
Wage Lower Than
Cotton Code

The so-called blanket code which
President Roosevelt Is trying TO en-
force in all industries through "vol~
untary" agreements with the en-
ployers, pending the working out Of
separate codes for the respective in
dustries is one of the worst forms Of
attack on the wages on the workers
yet undertaken. 1t aims to fix wage
even lower than the wage fixed in the
cotton code. The cotton code fixed
minimum wages for the North at sl4
for 30 hours and for the South at Sl3.
The Roosevelt blanket code for all
industries would fix the minimum
wage at S10.5O fer IS hour week for,
all industrial workers, thus making
the wage $3.50 less than the
wages Liked for the cotton workers
in the South.
This is being accomplished through
a Joker in the blanket code. For
while the blanket code speaks of a
35 hour week and 40 cents an hour
for all industrial workers as the min
imum wage, it at the same time pro-
vides that those workers who received
less than 40 cents before July 18th
are to receive only the wage that they
now receive but in no case less than
30 cents per hour. What does this
mean but actually negating the 40
cents minimum wage and the setting
of a so cents per hour wage? This
together with the provision of the
~, Of -r,t,f ~, +l71
one hand is no better than the old
Hoover stagger plan and on the other
hand does not by any means guar
antee a IS hour week, nevertheless
sets the wages Of the workers at Slo50
per week.
Higher Wages Pared Down
1t is argued by some government
spokesman that this is only a min
imum wage and will not affect wages
Of workers receiving more. The gov
eminent is entirely evasive on this
issue. At the same time the en-
ployers are taking full advantage CT
this fixed minimum wage put for
ward by the government and are re-
ducing the wages of the workers who
receive above the minimum fixed by
the government. There are numerous
examples of this practice already on
hand with the textile code only in
effect few days. In Fairlawn, N. j.
more than 1000 workers employed
by the Textile Dyeing and Printing
Company Of America are on strike
because the company is cutting the
wages of the higher paid workers
down TO the minimum. The workers
are demanding a minimum of go
cents per hour at the same tims.
This is the hourly rate proposed BY
the representative of the National
Textile Workers Union at the cotton
hearings at Washington.
A. r. of L. Company Unions
The American Federation of Labor
officials of whom President Green
and others are members of the
Industrial Recovery Administration
have approved this starvation wage
Of 5000 for a full working week.
These officials have also announced
that their policy is not to organize
the unorganized into unions in the
Industry, but instead to organize sep
crate plant" unions which Is am
other way of organizing the workers
into company unions only with the
blessings Of the A. F. of L. leaders, in
return for which the workers will be
made to pay dues to these officials.
The bosses, aided by the leadership Of
the American Federation of Labor
are using the NRA for the purpose OF
lowering the living standards of the
workers and at the same time fasten
company unions upon the workers IN
one form or another to prevent the
workers from organizing their own
u.lons, which the NRA is supposed
guar antee.
More Unemployment in Store
The Roosevelt administration which
condemned the ballyhoo prosperity
propaganda of the Hoover adninis-
tration is now trying to Guido the
latter through its own flood of prop
uganda For example on one day
they claim that six million will be
placed back to work by Labor Day.
The next day evidently seeing the
workers demanding the fulfilment Of
this promise, the figures are changed
to three million in two or three
months But even in spite Of this
the government through the Secre-
tary of Commerce Roper was COM
PEELED in a statement which is not tbs
whole truth to state that while pro-
duction has increased since February
by As per cent employment has in
creased only by per cent" and pay
rolls by only Is per cent. 1t is Of
course not true that two million were
actually put back TO work But even
the figures that are given show that
while production is increased by al
most half, employment and wages
are increased by only small frac-
ton.
What does this mean? This means
that the economic situation is grow
ing worse. If on top Of this we take
into account the rise in prices. it is
clear that thus far the whole recovery
talk is resulting in bigger profits for
the capitalists, and worsening OF
the conditions Of the workers.
The Trade Union Unity League
and its affiliated organizations are
organizing the workers to fight for
the improvement in their conditions
To demand and secure higher wages.
shorter hours without reduction in
pay, for unemployment relief and
unemployment insurance. This can
be achieved only through the united
effort CT the employed and unem-
plcyed workers., through the building
up of the WORKERS own unions. the