The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-10-14
Important Gains Made
in 5 Weeks Strike
BY JAMES LUSTIG
District Organizer, New York

September 1900 metal workers went
cut in New York on strike under
the leadership of the Steel and Metal
Workers Industrial Union.
Intensive Drive Prepares for Strikes
These strike struggles, mostly in
the light industries, were the result
of an intensive organizational drive
that was carried on for eight months
among the silver workers in the city
ofsNew York. Most OF the lessons
that we can learn can best be drawn
from the general strike Of the silver
workers, and that is why we will dis
cuss this more in detail.
Rank and File Carries On Organ
ization Drive
One of the most outstanding char
acteristics of the eight months Or
ganizational drive amongst the silver
workers prior to the strike was the
fact that the whole rank and file par
ticipated in this drive. From the
very beginning, when the first shop
was organized, the workers were
modified to go in front Of another
shop, and line them up for the or
ganization. Due to the mobilization
of the rank and file, about rs per
cent of all the workers of the trade,
numbering about 300, were lined up
in the organization without the union
having a paid organizer.
Shop Strikes Prepare General Strike
Before the general strike was go
ing in the silver trade, during the
eight months organizational drive, a
number of shop strikes were going on,
all of which ended successfully. These
partial victories helped a great deal
to intensity the organizational cam
paign and bring about the necessary
confidence of the workers in the Steel
and Metal Workers Industrial Union.
AS a result of these partial struggles,
we were successful in stopping wage
cuts, lay-offs and firing.
Educational Drive Prepares the Mem
bers for General Strike
Side by side with this organiza-
tional drive, an intensive educational
program was put through amongst
the silver workers. Special emphasis
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role of the A. F. of L. The members
of the executive board were given a
COPY of the Strassburg Resolution in
order to acquaint them with the COR
rect strike strategy. This educational
activity had a great deal to do with
keeping our members intact and
immune from the influence of the
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Another unique feature of the
preparation of the silver strike was
the creation, by the workers them
selves, of a strike fund that was
very helpful in carrying on the five
weeks of struggle.
United Front With the Spinners
These successful preparations of
the general strike could not be car
ried out without bringing about the
unity of the metal spinners, organ
lied into the Metal Spinners' Union,
and the members of our organization.
This unity was brought about as a
result of a continuous and stubborn
struggle on our part against the
reactionary elements in the Metal
Spinners' Union, who opposed this
unity.
Important Gains Made as a Result
of the Strike
As result of the five weeks gem
eral strike, important gains were
made by the workers. Though most
of the shops settled on a Shop Com
mittee recognition basis, the union
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The wages of all workers out on
strike were raised considerably. 81
per week was the smallest wage in
crease; but wage increases of $40
and SIS per week were not rare.
Solderers who were receiving $29
before the strike went back to work
on $42 weekly wage. Similar wage
increases were given to many work
ers. None of the bosses can fire any
of the union men and in most of the
shops only union men can be hired.
Shortcomings of the Strike
In spite of the proper prepara-
lions, number of important short
comings have been committed in the
strike. One of the most important
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Of the strike no joint strike commit
ee was set up with the Metal Spin
ners. The reactionary elements of
the Metal Spinners' Union succeeded
in. having a meeting with their own
members and setting up their own
strike committee, which functioned
independently of the rest of the
striking workers. We were not per-
sistent enough in demanding and
mobilizing the members Of the Steel
and Metal Workers Industrial Union
to bring about this joint strike COM
rnittee. This brought about a situa-
ton in the fourth week of the strike
when we were forced to settle strikes
on q shop committee basis, and all
workers went back under these con-
ditions. But the metal spinners STAYED
out on strike in spite of the fact that
the rank and file workers of the union
were ready to go back to work I'M
der the same conditions. The metal
spinfers stayed out one more week
after our last shop was settled and
finally went back to work under
agreements similar to ours.
Another shortcoming was that we
were not able to bring about the
necessary enthusiasm of the strikers
to take care of the scabs effectively.
It was also wrong to over-emphasize
the Importance and necessity f'rec-
ognizing the union.
In spite of all these shortcomings,
the strike can be called a great sue
cess. Out of the 300 workers par
ticipating in the strike, between $50
and 500 remained members of the
union. The work of consolidation is
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