The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-10-20

company, and the long established open shop policy
of the company is absolutely maintained in every
respect
THE above is a statement made by John C, VIII
lsms, president of Weirton Steel Co. when in
formed of the MIRA. Labor Boards decision ordering
$4,000 steel strikers back to work after mediation
The desire for organization among the men was so
great, that while breaking the strike, the NR.A had
to bangle the promise Of election Of Representatives
for December, giving the company full opportunity to
organize a company union
How did this steel corporation gain such great
satisfaction and the absolute maintenance of its long
established open shop policy the face of the first
shut down in 20 years and most militant four weeks
battle Of the strikers?
The answer s-thanks to the service of T.. Will
liam Green and John L. Lewis thanks to the service
Of the N IA. administration and that renowned
friend" Of labor, Senator Wagner, thanks to the
Amalgamated Association of Steel Iron and Tin Work
ers' officials
The steel code approved by John L, Lewis, Will
liam Green and other A, F. of L. leaders, gave the
steel trust opportunity to slash wages and an I'M
written approval of the open shop which the MIRA
Labor Board strengthens by its strikebreaking
action.
Every chance for winning full victory in the strike
was present, All plants were closed tighter than a
drum. The workers solidarity resisted the most
brutal attacks of the state police But they had the
.disemboWeing leadership of the A. F. of L. officials
They were told not to picket. They were harangued
to rely on MIRA. mediation.
On the top, there we're Mr. William Green and
John L. Lewis assurances to Roosevelt and General
Johnson that they would work like trojans against
stakes
without a well organized rank and file opposition
acolng an accelerator to the strike and bar to
the belayal Of the leaders, the strikers were en-
nezhsd in vicious sell-out and victory for the
bosses.
kOW the task OF the A. F. OF L. leadership is to drive
the $4,000 steel workers back into the long-estab-
lisacd and absolutely maintained open shop with the
promise Of election OF workers representatives in
December
With the issues clearer with the workers paying
heavily for the misleadershp it is necessary to con-
tnue by other the battle for union recognition
The Steel and Metal Workers Industrial Union
Which supported the fight of the Weirton Steel Co.
workers for the recognition of their union must make
every effort now to bring the lessons of the MIRA
and A. F. of l.. officials betrayal to the attention of
the Weirton steel workers The role of the NRA. in
this strike must become a burning topic of discus
sion in the shops on the basis of Mr. Williams state
ment-because it is under his lash and power that
the workers go back to work
We must call for united action of all workers
regardless of their union ailiaton to prepare for
the December election by the most solid organization
within the plant the setting up of shop and depart
ment committees elected previously on the outside
The workers should into the plant solid and or
ganized for the slate and organization ready TO back
it up with action.
The betraying leaders be branded as agents
of the steel trust.
RANK AND FILE leaders, prominent the picket
" lines those most determined and loyal in the strike
should be put up as the workers representatives
The company will try to twist the voting into a
company union, and the N.R.A. and Amalgamation
Association officials will do all they can to help them
But the workers main task is to set up their own
union under whatever name so long as it is the organ
Of the workers themselves of their flesh and blood and
fighting in their interest
The steel code slave conditions remain, All Of the
grievances, low wages miserable working conditions
speed-up still exist. Organization and struggle must
be modified to fight them and it is with realiza-
ton Of this task that the workers demand union
recognition.
And it is to this common goal that all efforts of
the steel workers should be bent United action
OF the workers, against all the N.R.A trickery and
their leaders Shiny manetVers, will make the NRA
open shop decision become like SNOWFALL tossed into
hot glowing lsdle of molten steel