The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-05-01
The Taxi Strike AS
Seen By A New York
Transport Worker
Transit Workers Are
Seething Against Co.
Unions, Low Wages
By a Secretary of the Transport
Workers Union

long. They had to contend with
the company unions and the black
lists. For a whole week taxis were
off the streets of the city.
But through the Vaccinations of
Norman Thomas, the priest; Mr..
Panken, the Socialist judge; Mr..
LaGuardia, the would-be Mussolini;
Mr.. Ernst, Mr.. LaGuardias advisor,
and Mrs. Herrick, the NRA. agent,
the taxi drivers were forced back
to work.
What steps did the T.UU.C. take
to prepare for the next taxi strike?
Did the T.U.U.C. continue to or
gaiize the transport workers in Or
der to strengthen the coming taxi
striker No, it did not! Instead
the T. u. U. C. took away their or
ganizer and released him to the
taxi drivers, leaving the subway
workers to take care of themselves
without notice.
So when the taxi drivers again
went on strike, early in March. the
transport workers, having been
totally neglected since January,
we're powerless to help and support
the taxi drivers in their fight
against company unions.
Sitting On Volcano
That the traction workers of New
York are ready to fight one can
see from the actions of the men in
the 146th ST. shop of the 1. R. T.,
where they, in open defiance of the
company union and at the danger
Of losing their own jobs, took steps
to force the company to reinstate
IA men who had been fired
If responsible comrades would
have taken hold of the transit
workers and made strenuous, sys-
tematic campaign for the organiza-
ton of the subway workers, with
the solid support of the TU.UC.,
the story of the taxi strike would
read differently.
The threat of a city-wide transit
strike in support of the taxi drivers,
and for one basic demand, the
abolition of company unions, might
and probably would have brought
10 the taxi bosses and their fun
keys the realization, that they no
longer can treat the workers the
same way they have been doing all
Of these years.
But whenever complaint was
made about the lack of an organ
lzer, the answer invariably would
be the same, I'VE are short of
forces" That was the only salts
action that could be gotten.
Must Spare Organizers
Capable comrades could be spared
TO write swell editorials, long ar
ticlss analyzing the class struggle
Equally could they be spared for
The organizing of workers in light
Industries, like pocketbook shops,
millinery, furniture and mattress
makers. If all the workers in these
industries, and, for good measure
one may add Ben Colds fur work
srs, would go on strike for six
weeks, life in New York City would
continue more or less the same.
But If the transit workers of New
York should strike for six hours
only, the life Of the whole city
would be upside down. With a
little practical application of the
Open Letter, the taxi strike might
nave been turned into gigantic
battle of New York transit workers
against the Wall Street bankers; a
battle the like of which New York
has never seen, and which would
knock a number of bricks off the
capitalist structure. But for this
ihe comrades were short of forces.
In its relation with the subway
workers, the TU.U.C, to be fair
has consistently acted the same
policy. Organizers would be as
signed and then when they became
acquainted with the workers, they
would be withdrawn and replaced
by new organizers, who in due time
would also be withdrawn. Organ
izers have come and organizers
have gone and in the meantime
whatever progress has been made
was seriously retarded at each with
drawal.
At times even to get leaflets out
seemed to be quite proposition.
Distribution in general is a hard
job, especially so in bad weather.
There was no serious attempt Of
complete distribution in the transit
lines, except in one section, where
some comrades did particular good
work
Hit and Miss
But all in all it has been hit
and miss affair, and it now surely
Is time for the workers to know.
They have the right to know
whether they can continue to eX-
pect to receive this sort of leader
ship from the TU.UC. If this will
be the method the comrades use to
prove that they are the vanguard
If the working class. then there
AN be no serious disagreement with
them. except they'll be the van
guard Of the rear end.
ne duties of the T.U.U.C. are
,lear. Good organizers must be put
to work to organize the transit
workers in the shortest possible
time. SO the next time the work.
ers decide to take the offensive
against the bosses unions and for
their own rank and file unions, they
will be fully prepared to battle to a
victorious conclusion.
EDITORS NOTE.-The Trade
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