The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-13

HcES, Oh tlc bdSiS VI tCaNiAb anu W
district secretary, reported yesterday
However, these gains have been made
said, the chief task of the union now
being the concentration of forces and
finances on organizing the heavy ma
chine shops, the dock and Shipyard
workers and other metal workers in
the heavier branches of the industry.
More work among the unemployed,
better work inside the A. F. of l..
unions, on the basis of the united
front and more consistent exposure
Of the strike breaking role of the N.
RIA, were the other major tasks of
the union emphasized in Matles' main
report
"At the last convention Of the SIN.
VIII. we had thirty to forty dele
gates representing largely groups in
unorganized shops" Matles said
"Now we have at this convention SO
delegates with "a organized shops
represented, where either the union
or the shop committee is recognized"
The silver strike, the hollow-ware
strike, and especially the present
strike of the 1000 dock workers, shows
the necessity of stronger exposure of
the strikebreaking role of the A. F.
Of L. leaders, who are working in con-
junction with the MIRA, and the
necessity of more work inside the A.
F. Of L. and independent unions, it
was emphasized in Matles' report as
well as in the report Of James Lustig,
district organizer for the union.
The Importance of work among the
shipyard workers and dock workers,
now on strike was emphasized not
only by the reporters, but many OF
the delegates. The A. F. of l..
leaders in the International Associa-
ton Of Machinists; the Boilernakers
international etc, it was pointed out
are trying their best to kill the strike
dickering with the MIRA. keeping the
workers from mass picketing, opposing
the spreading Of the strike, and al
lowing scGbs to enter the decks with
on action. The S. n. w. I. U. laid
down the program yesterday of fight
ing fer the formation Of a broad
united front strike committee, mass
picket lines and militant action TO
keep cut scabs. The speakers at the
convention reported that the mis-
leaders OF these A 2. of L. unions
have dropped the demands for the
1923 wage scale, time and a half for
overtime etc. and are now asking
only recognition Of the unions. The
painters and carpenters locals of the
Il. +. of L. have SO far refused even
to cal their men or strike. The I.
81 Of r. finally called cut the ma
cialn.sts under pressure Of the rank
and file,
The reports showed The gains made
b. the union in recent mon hs. Strikes
were won in approximately 80 shops.
the gains made and some mistakes
were the subject Of the report Of
Or~anizer James Luse:
Concentration On the heavy ma
chine shops was emphasized in the
report Of George Powers, district O.
ganizer for the union. Concentration
on four LEGAL unions Of the I. A. Of M
and the Boilermakers "a. F. Of L.
was decided upon, to broaden the
rank and file groups in these local
unions and fight for the program OF
minimum demands. More work in the
independent carpenters, joiners and
riggers unions in the ship yards was
called for
The work among the unemployed
has been greatly neglected, the dis
eussion revealed, It was decided to
push the organization of unemployed
committees in each local union Much
unemployment exists in the industry,
and mass layoffs can be expected in
the near future, it was reported.
The discussion of the delegates
from the shops, along the lines Of the
reports (of which names cannot
be mentioned for obvious reasons
brought out examples Of militant
struggles, winning demands from the
boss. The posting of a notice in the
Federal Steel Products company, tina:
there would be no work until the
committee comforting with the boss
had reported to the workers, had q
big effect in winning the workers
demands there. Other dele g a tie S
brought out that the Negro workers
are denied jobs in this industry, and
youth workers are forced to do the
same work at lower wages, under the
title of apprentices"
Rose Wortis gave greetings from
the Trade Union Unity League Of
New York. with which the Steel and
Metal Union is affiliated. A resolu-
ton was passed endorsing the ma
tional convention against unemploy-
rnent in Washington on Jan. Is. The
anti lynching convention in Balti-
more on Nov. Is was Endorsed. VIM.
Ambruster was elected district presi-
dent Of the union, Matles was re-
elected secretary, Powers and Lustig
were elected as district organizers,
Cha-'-- '~Srews as vice president,
Charles Rivers as recording secretary.
Greetings were received from the
national OFF, IT the union, signed
by John Mellon.