The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-10-15
Party Life
Struggle in Chicago
Against Company Unions
Set Up After MIRA.
BY B. B.

up after the introduction of the
N. r. A. That is, no dues payments
nor regular membership meetings.
It was set up under the provision
of Employees Representation Plan"
Even in International Harvester
where there has been a company
union for Is years, 1t functions in
the same manner as those organ
lied last year. Only that it's more
rooted and has a more elaborate
field of activity" This type of the
company union is the predominant
one here.
With the setting up Of the COM
pany union in -, union member
was elected from one Of the depart
ments. This comrade Immediately
began to raise demands, introduced
motion to post the minutes Of
the Council" meeting on the bull
letin board so that the workers
would know what's taken up at
the meetings.
Through the work in the COM
pany union, our comrade gained
prestige among the workers. So the
company decided to GET rid Of him.
He was 'laid-off until further no.
tice," and here he utilized his
privileges. as representative by call
ing a council meeting and demand
ing his reinstatement The ma
jority Of the council supported him
on this and he was put back on the
Job.
WHILE being on the company
" union our comraoe was able to
call meetings of his department
and bring the problems Of the shop
up to them. During the discussion
they we're able to pick out the best
workers. Those we're later ap-
preached for the S. M. w. I. U.
Even from the Council, a represen-
tative from the tool room was re-
cruited. The S.MW.IU. began TO
grow to over 100 members, with the
most work done by the company
union representatives who made it
their business to visit different de-
partments to sign the workers into
the union.
We began to issue the leaflets:
exposing the company union and
why it was organized, at the same
time carrying on agitation against
the company union meetings, espe-
cially the Secretary and the Chair
man, who were exposed as Suck
ers" Of the company. During the
period it was also possible to de-
velop struggles. Our union using
the company union representatives
won a six-cent an hour increase
for the tool room workers by send
ing a committee to the company
union where fight around this
issue was developed, and later the
committee went to the manage
ment, supported by the majority
of the Council members Also. two
workers were reinstated. after they
were fired.
Then new elections came up. At
the union meeting workers brought
this question up. What shall we
do now? Workers are against the
company union. A slogan to boy
colt WIS advanced to which a ma.
jority agreed. At the same time,
plans were laid to call department
meetings and elect a shop commit
tee which was to substitute and
become the representative of IT,.
workers in that shop. and. if nee
essary, to call strike. Demands
forwarded were
l. Fifteen per cent raise; 2. Pay
every week; 8. Abolition of COM
pany union; 4. Recognition of
Workers Shop Committee.
We issued a leaflet on the boy
colt. as follows: Do not place nom
nations! Cast blank ballots! This
we explained to the workers that
it was not the aim in itself. but only
to express the sentiment of the
workers against the company
union, and that we must mobilize
our forces to win recognition of
the workers Shop Committee
around the demands mentioned
above. Immediately a campaign
was undertaken and in the pri-
maries out of $50 workers only $50
voted. But, in the finals, half of
the workers voted.
DURING this boycott some errors
" were committed by the repre-
sentatives. Instead Of taking the
ballots for distribution and utiliz-
ing this to go around and speak to
the workers, and recruit them into
the union, they left the whole
thing in the hands of the chair
man. The company sucker" That
is why, between the primaries and
the finals, they were able to in
crease their vote.
While this took place, although
We had influence over the majority
of the workers, and 40 members
in our union, no demands were
represented by the shop commit
tee, because all of the workers
we're not clear on the company
union election. Immediately after
the elections, the weakest element
begun to advance ideas that we
should call for reelection so that
we could get our people on the
company union.
From the experiences We can
draw the following lessons. /. That
it is altogether wrong to advance
the slogan of boycott This sug-
gests "Gandiism" and does not
organize workers for struggle, and
only expresses the desire to do
away with something unwanted. 2.
That We must take part in the
company union elections at all
times unless the workers union is
strong enough to win immediate
recognition. 8. That while par