The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-01
Explains Wage Raise in
akron Rubber Factories
Wos Preceded By Many WGge Cuts; Is attempt
to Stop Rank and File Organization
Csy a Rubber Worker Correspondent

Gsy Rubber Worker Correspondent
AKRON, Ohio-A general wage in
crease was announced for the rubber
workers here Jan. 25 by the COM
psnies such as Goodrich. Goodyear
and Firestone.
Yes. there is some pick up in the
production in the last few weeks. But
not a general pick up. For instance
in the General Rubber & Tire Co.
which produces tires exclusively
there is days q week 6 hours a shift
work. This means that the production
increased on tires alone.
Still many other divisions remain
as before, or are slackening down
lFirestone battery laid of 400 men
four weeks ago; one woman draw II
cents in her pay in Soldering and
had to report two different days to
make this amount; a worker reports
here that in Goodyear his highest
pay was s14 q week and lowest IS q
week..
To my estimation, this pick up is
due TO, first, war preparations, pos
sible government orders on tires, and
second, a seasonal pick up in the rub
Der industry about this time Of year
Or it could be based on expectation
Of war In near future and the rub
5er barons are preparing for it.
Preceded by Many Pay Cuts
This increase in wages can be af-
forded very well, when for the last
weeks since the adoption of the rub
Der code, there was a constant process
Of wage cuts, covering the workers in
nearly all divisions except tire de-
partmentS. CWomen workers in Good
rich, in some instances, were cut more
than 20 per cent in hourly rateS)
But this is not the only way in
which they cut the wages. There is
speed-up, more work for the same
pay, more work for less pay. Hours
we're cut all over. All workers are, by
now, in the chief divisions, on s hours
a day work.
The profits have increased. Some
shops have doubled their profits since
last March. Mr.. O'Neal, president of
the General Tire & Rubber Co., re-
ports, at the annual meeting Of the
stock holders: met profit for the
year, after all charges, was more than
double that of 1882" and then he
concludes his report by saying that:
Every month since March has been
a profitable one"
But there is another factor that
prompted these rubber barons to
make this increase at this time. This
is a growing discomfort among the
rubber workers that has its express
sion in both the A. F. of L. unions
and in the shops Cleft wing opposi-
ion actually forming an organization
N the A. F. of L. locals. And workers
are actually demanding increases in
their pay.
In the Seiberling local, the demand
vas raised for a IS per cent increase,
and for three meetings the bureau
rats have tried to sidetrack this
motion; groups Of workers went di-
rectly to the department heads and
demanded increase in their pay.
Leaflets and Pay Raises Coincide
This increase was announced on
The same day that the left wing OPP
position seven point program was dis
tributed to the rubber workers. Some
small leaflets were issued just a week
ago to almost the same effect.
The left wing opposition is plan
ming for an open mass meeting, with
Louis Weinstock as the chief speaker,
10 put forth its program openly to