The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-03-01

ILlelr particular JrdQe, DuU organ
izing to get relief for their mem
bers from the Home Relief Buros.
Some of them are beginning to
participate in rent strikes, anti
eviction fights, demonstrations in
'front.' of the Gibson Committee,
etc, etc.
The rent strike movement is
growing into one of the largest
movements in New York, involving
not only employed, but unemploy-
ed workers. 1 think the comrades
know that so per cent of the pay of
the worker nowadays, and in some
cases more than that, goes to the
landlord. The landlord, even more
so than other capitalists, has at
tempted to maintain the same rent
as in 1926-27, although wages have
gone down from 30 to SO per cent
and even more.
Around the rent strikes and gen.
orally in the activities amongst the
unemployed, we can spread the
idea of union organization amongst
workers that we cannot reach
otherwise, and particularly work
ers i'll the basic industries. We
have seen that some of our trade
unions, from merely backing
grievance of the unemployed, have
broadened out their program, not
only in the form of a resolution,
but in action.
IN the needle trades we have had
i some successful struggles to COM
pei the bosses to put aside per
cent Of the payroll for the unem-
pIoyed. In the fur dyeing
trade settlements i'll several Of the
shops included 3 per cent, This
is an important achievement.
FIGHT FOR UNEMPLOYMENT
INSURANCE INTENSIFIED
On the question of Unemploy-
ment Insurance, our trade unions
.Gn this respect there was progress
With our opposition groups in the
A. F. of L. have become more ag-
gressive, as we'll as in the struggle
for exemption from dues, assess
ments for the unemployed, and
other such inner trade union de-
rnandS.
The outstanding feature OF our
unions, however, is still the weak
ness in the unemployed question.
For instance, most of our trade
unions have developed practically
no struggle against layoffs OF
course, where we have control Of
shops, that is, union control, we
do not let them lay of the work
ers. But a struggle against lay
offs as part Of the struggle to Or
ganize ~, workers, to gain in
huence in unorganized places, has
not been carried on.
There are cases where in one
blow the boss lays off 80 or 40 per
cent of the crew. Often we know
about it ahead of time. The whole
question is not taken up seriously.
Only here and there do we make
an attempt.
Where we have considerable or
ganization, we also fight for reduc-
ton Of hours, but not yet from
the point of view that there is
mass unemployment, but from the
point of view that it is a good
proposition to reduce hours.
On this question the takers have
displayed more demagogy than on
anything else. They are the ones
who talk about solving unemploy-
tment by having the six-hour day.
OF course, they don't say at the
same pay as before for the eight
hours.
If cut in hours were forced
upon the bosses without a reduc-
ton in pay, this would mean a
lot, and it is in this connection
that we must relate our struggle
for shorter hours with the unem-
ployment question.
OVERTIME WORK
On the question of overtime,
some of our strongest unions are
falling down. 1t is very hard for
an unemployed worker to take
some OF our unions seriously when
they talk about the interests Of
the unemployed ano even demon
strate and put up q figh, here and
there, and at the same time they
know that in the shops controlled
by the union there is overtime
work. This, if permitted to con-