The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-30
Workers Begin to See
Through A. F. of L.
Heads SelIOut
<'DEFEATNEW CUTS''
Auto W Orkers Union
Expects Betrayal At
Washington
By WILLIAM WEINSTONE
Especial to the Daily Worker.)

Especial to the Daily Worker.)
DETROIT, Mich, March 20.
Defeat the new cuts! Make
the companies pay!p' Those
we're the slogans issued by the
executive board of the Auto
Workers Union last night to discuss
the present situation which affects
the introduction of the 36-hour
week in all plants except Fords, be-
ginning March 81.
The workers are beginning to
realize that with ten per cent in
crease in wages, even if carried out,
the cut in hours will mean a cut
in pay and added burden upon
workers. Meetings and leaflets will
be issued on this, and a burning
campaign carried through.
The shades of Abraham Lincoln
were dragged into meeting Of the
A. F. of L. Hudson local last night
at Amity Hall to warm up the cold
reception given to Greer, president
of the local, reporting the outcome
of the Washington negotiations.
Only 300 attended from member
ship of several thousand. Greer
reported victory" He failed to
stir the audience. Whereupon Greer
called on Lincoln to help out, say
ing that when he saw the picture
OF Lincoln hanging over the desk
of Roosevelt, Il told the President
that the auto workers expected a
new proclamation of emancipation"
This got applause only from a group
of claquers.
Distribute LeafIet.
The Auto Workers Union leaflet
was well distributed at the meeting.
It explained the sell-out point by
point, and was used by workers at
tie meeting to check Greer's state
ments. He later deceptively claimed
that the merit clause" which gives
the employers the right to hire and
fire, multiplying protection to union
men from discrimination, was with
drawn.
A. F. of L. officials still rely on
the chauvinistic propaganda to stay
the workers from struggle against
the agreement. But the real truth
is beginning to penetrate the work.
ers' ranks. Many workers are con-
sidering the organization of Auto
Workers Union locals in the plant.
A preliminary meeting of the Auto
Workers Union was packed last
night. The meeting decided on an
organizational campaign to line up
the plant with a mass meeting next
Thursday night.
Several hundred workers of the
Peninsular Metal Products plant.
connected with the Motor Products.
struck yesterday against low wages
and long hours. The workers are
employed from ten to fourteen hours
day, with wages of forty to fifty
hours. The workers are unorganized.
The A. F. of L. leaders came down
to break their strike.
Local newspapers are revealing
the inside meaning of the Washing
ton agreement. Paul Mallon. Wash
ington correspondent of the Detroit
News, today writes:
Those who know expect that the
ultimate outgrowth will be an en-
tirely new labor set-up based on
separate craft guilds vertical
unions) rather than blanket union
ism under the A. F.. of L. system.
That is what Mr.. Roosevelt had
in mind when he spoke about new
course in social engineering and a
new kind of works council by in
dustry.'
No word has yet been received
from Smith, General Secretary of
the Mechanics Educational Society.
with regard to joint fight against
the sell-out. 1t will not be surpris-
ing if this official will try to soft
peddal the fight on the grounds that
it would prejudice the chances of
the Mechanics Educational Society
getting recognition" although the
MESA. and all fighting unions will
be made to bend their organization
to company union domination.