The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-06
CBy an Auto Worker Correspondent

ny an Auto NOEher OorreSpOn0eutI
DETROIT, Mich. - am working
near the open-hearth, dismantling
cars on an average of 100 cars a day
where previously we did $50 cars. The
superintendent and the bosses are go
ing wild trying to step up to 225 cars
a day.
Two workers must take of all door
handles, hardware inside and out, also
all glass that is, windshield, side win
dows and rear in ~ minutes per car.
A minutes delay due to some difficult
ties makes one step lively to keep up
with the conveyor. Imagine one step
ping sideways trying to remove screws
with a screw driver especially when
they are worn. Then we hop inside
the car to remove all hardware and
glass.
Before we get through on the inside,
the acetylene men are at work blaz-
ing away, cutting of drive shafts at
transmission, the motor hangers,
steering column, etc. BY the time we
get through we are nearly roasted
from the intense heat and suffocated
from fumes Of gas and burning oil
and grease accumulated on the old
car.
Melting Metal Sprays
Sometimes the melting metal, drip
ping sprays in all directions drops
on hands and feet, burning through
the clothes and endangering our eye
sight. The intense heat within the
car makes one sweat until the clothes
are soaked through, which is not very
healthy on these cold days.
On number of occasions it is nee
essary to knock out the glass in q
hurry to get air, although this is not
permissible, as they want to save all
glass. One time saw worker in the
other gang (three gangs at work, two
acetylene men, two sledge men and
two diSnantling to each carr have
trouble to remove glass and found
himself surrounded by torch and sledge
men and could not get out through
the door. The only way out was by
breaking the rear window and crawl
ing out head first.
The boss saw this act and laughed
remarking boy amt it hell"; but tc
the worker it was worse than hell
and besides his life was in danger.
Sometimes 1 think of the hell-holes
in the battle-fieldS Of France with
wild cries and laughs OF maniacs, but
it's not half as bad as this depart
ment, although others are not much
better.
The conyeyor Is so speeded up thai
We don't get time to go to toilets, ano
We must run to get drink. Some
times the straw-boSs will give hand
but it's not a practice. We get little
relief when the press jams, which
congresses the car and the line /:
held up, but the bosses see that VIZ
do something else in the meantime.
Forced to Move Tanks
One day we were forced to move the
acetylene tanks weighing about IL;
pounds from one end of conveyor tt
the other, which is about 215 block
long. Only husky men could carry
them. Others roll them along and re.
quire rest in intervals. This was no
to the liking Of the superintendent
and he beloved 'You better not stant
there with that tank. Keep moving
as we are laying men off"
There was no need for us to NOV
these tanks, as Ford has trucks, bu
Ford's policy always was to keep tn
workers busy at all times or get out
No breathing spell is permitted.
On another occasion we had to un
load loose parts from the freight ca
to place on the conveyor a short dis
lance away. A worker had ha7Afu
of scrap and dropped a rag. Tn
superintendent seeing this nollorat
''Pick it up! pick it up!!" 1t was yer
ridiculous and the worker was force,
to reply, Whats the matter witt
you"
From morning till night you see tn
bosses under the direction Of tn