The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-11-19

0GS6I ana M6Jdl WOIherS industrial
Union, held Saturday at the Man.
haitian Lyceum, Sc East Fourth St,
New York.
With representatives of four
states, New York, New Jersey,
Massachusetts and Connecticut,
the conference went on record for
the setting up Of an autonomous
organization in the metal and ma
chine building industry within the
S. NJ w. I. U. and for an intensive
organizational drive by the union.
Resolutions on these questions and
on the Steel and Metal Worker,
official organ Of the union, were
adopted by the conference.
The conference also voted to re-
quest the Trade Union Unity
League to release Andrew Over
gard from his present post in the
New York TU.UL. Council, to act
as national field organizer for the
union. The conference voted to rec
ommend similar action to the Mid
Western Conference of the union
to be held in Chicago on Dec. 6.
Charles Green, president Of the
Metal Novelty Local 303, presided
at the conference. James Mates,
national secretary of the Metal and
Machine Building Division, made
the main report, and George Gill
acted as secretary of the confer
ence.
Situation Reviewed ~
In his report Matles reviewed the
situation in the metal and allied in
dustries throughout the United
States. More than 100000 work
ers are involved, he stated. In line.
with the decision of the Second
Biennial Convention of the union
he introduced the resolution and
spoke for the establishment of an
autonomous national organization in
this section of the industry In
spite of all organizations in the
field the largest majority of work
ers still remain unorganized, he
stated.
The organization of the unorgan-
lie, the uniflcation of all indepen-
dent unions and the establishing
of united action of all unions, he
stated, is the key to the problems
of the unionization of the trade and
the raising Of the level of the con-,
ditions of the workers.
He reported 5000 members in a
hundred shops in the New York
District, 1000 of which work under
union agreements. Nearly 1000
workers were led by the union in
strikes during the year, most of
which were successful. Three to
four hundred workers were in lost
strikes.
Connecticut Delegates Reports
Connecticut reported making eff
forts to counterfeit the utilization by
owners Of shops of the cooperation
OF the Chambers of Commerce of
the state for moving from New York
IN order to run away from or
ganized labor and union conditions.
G. L. Bauman, reporting, claimed
six functioning locals. An organ
ization drive was stressed by him
and Killing, another leader of the
union there.
Unity Stressed
Proposing numerous changes in
resolutions introduced, King
stressed the publication of a res
olution on the subject in pamphlet,
| form,
Paul Martin, of the Editorial
Board of the Steel and Metal
Worker, stressed the Importance of
utilization of the union journal as
an organizer for the union and the
making of the ,.aper an integral
part OF the life and activities of the
union. He also dealt with the reso-
luton introduced on the paper and
demanded change in attitude on
the part of union organizers to the
paper and the sending of material
and payments on time
James Lustig dealt with the
question of dues and the inpor-
lance of maintaining the organiza-
ton financially and organizations
ally on sound and solid basis. He
called for special attention to runs
away" shops and cooperation be-
tween various districts of the union
in putting stop, to this practice
by concentrating on them, wherever
they move to.
The Importance of work withsthe
independent unions and with the
workers inside Of the company
unions, was stressed by. Al Steele
of the Editorial Board He. pro-
| posed the utilization. of the paper
for practical discussion, of agree
ments signed by the union with in
dividual shops; for exchange of ex-
periences in organization work, and
proposed to offer space in the paper
to independent unions entering the
proposed Joint council.
Run Away" Shops
Charles Rivers, third vice. presi-
dent of the union, dealt with the
run away" shops and reported on
the establishment of seven new
locals in New York since the last
district convention. Business like
methods of work were advocated by
him for the union,
The effective struggle against the
red scare" used by the bosses, was
extensively dealt with by Andrew
Overgaard. He agreed to accept the
post of national organizer for the
union if and when the T. U. U. L.
releases him.
Twelve additional members to the
National EXECUTIVE Board were
elected, including two each from
New Jersey and Massachusetts and