The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-16
The Next Step at Weirton

IN WASHINGTON there is lot Of clustering talk,
shifty maneuvering to screen the real role OF the
NFsA, but in the he'll holes of the Werton Steel Co.
plants, $4,000 workers being driven into yellow
dog" company unions because they believed the prom
ises of the NRA.
In spite Of all the talk about court action, which
Mr.. Weir, president of the company, said he well
coined the workers denied the right to elect their
own representatives and to choose their union
The Weirton situation is the fostering boil come
to head on the whole body of the MIRA. Here
the workers, believing they had right to join
union of their own choosing strike enforce
this right. They wanted union to improve their
conditions they had just suffered wage cut as
a result Of the MIRA steel slave code.
They fought miltantly and well, and had every
prospect of victory though their A. F. Of L. leaders,
acting with state police, urged them to stop mass
picketing.
THE STRIKE could not be broken by the bosses
violence the NRA. stepped in with its oily
promises With the prestige Of the President of the
United States, with the boiled-shrt promises of SEN
ator Wagner and General Johnson undersigned by the
leaders of the Amalgamated Association Of Ion Steel
Sheet and Tin Workers, the workers told they
would be granted the right to vote for their repre-
sentatives, without company union interference, and
that there would be no discrimination.
Now all of these promises have been brutaIy
violated Over $500 workers fired. Friday, the
ington, the ERA clustered about court action. But
the workers know this is window dressing
to stall them off, to keep them from action.
The courts but other instruments Of the bosses
power of suppression Even should the matter be taken
to the courts the workers could expect nothing from
these citadels Of capitalist rule.
Now the workers are faced with the problem Of
what to do next The Amalgamated Association Of
Ion Steel Sheet and Tin leaders have already de-
feated rank and file proposal to strike to win the
right of organization, that they may have power
to improve their living and working conditions.
The company union has been installed and
strengthened by the deeds OF the NRA
THE FUTURE is in the hands of the Weirton steel
workers They should rally their forces to organize
their union in the shops to improve their conditions,
to insure q weapon in the struggle against Shoot a
Few" Weir, well the capitalist state forces that
back him. They must break completely with the
strkepreaking leading that made such Grass defeat
and betrayal possible.
To accomplish this end in every mill Of the Weir
ton Steel in every department, In every shift, the
workers should build up their struggle committees.
They should know that the whole workngclass has
been aroused by the MIRA. betrayal of the Weirton
Steel Co. workers They must prepare for action
the only action that can win them any rights and
prevent oppressive action of the bosses-strike
To achieve this action, detailed thorough organiza-
ton is necessary based the workers in the shops,
free from the deahgrp Of the betraying A. F. Of L.
leaders.
NO DOUBT, as result of the last strike in Septen-
~ Der and october, the workers learned who were
the most militant and trustworthy in their ranks.
1t is these forces who should take the initiative for
the present drive for organization Undoubtedly, in
each department there still exists the of organi
cation which can be kndled into life and arouse all
the workers to struggle. These must be strengthened
and begin to act to develop program Of struggle,
to propagandize and organize the workers.
At the time, must point out that before
the strike, the Steel and Metal Workers Industrial
Union had made valuable contacts In the Weir
ton Steel Companys mills. Unfortunately, these were
rIptured during the strike itself, as the Steel and
Metal Workers Industrial Union devoting all its
energies to the Anlbridge and other strikes.
But now this union must concentrate the Weir
ton Steel Co., to galvanize the workers into action,
to help them in mobilizing their forces for decisive
struggle to protect their rights and living standards.