The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-13
Cab Drivers Plan to Spread
Strike to Other Companies
Longshoremen Offer to
Help Drivers
Stop Cabs
START NRA HEARING
Gilbert Assails Plan of
Labor Board

NEW YORK.-The strike
of the Parmelee taxi drivers
against a company union en-
tered its third day yesterday,
with leaders of the Taxi Driv-
ers Union of Greater New York
taking up the question of spreading
the strike to other companies.
While the hackmen were picket
ing the garages. the Regional Labor
Board, with Mrs. Gilmore Herrick
acting as chairman. continued
maneuvers to have the men call off
strike and then vote on the question
Of the company union. This plan
was once more fatty rejected by
the union men. Sam Orner and
Joseph Gilbert, militant spokesman
for the drivers, told the press that
Mrs. HerTick's proposition was en-
tirely out of the question.
"This pan is designed to break
the strike" said Gilbert. THE
drivers are proving by their strike
acton what organization they
wish to belong to-
Yesterday the union received a
communication from longshoremen
of the International Longshoremen's
Association, declaring their sym
pathy with the strike. The long
shoremen said they will support the
strike by preventing scab Parmelee
cabs from picking up passengers at
the docks.
Hackmen at Code Hearing.
A number of hackmen were pres
ert at the taxicab code hearing
which opened at City Hall in the
morning. Only representatives of
the fleet owners and gentlemen of
the stripe of Morris L. Ernst. who
aided in the betrayal of the first
strike, were allowed to speak in the
flrS session. No representatives of
the drivers got the floor. The meet
Ing was presided over by william
Allen, deputy N. R. A. administrator.
who is responsible for the textile
code, which reduced the wages of
the textile workers in all sections
OF the country to a starvation level.
Will Fight Code.
Prior to the meeting joseph Gil
bert. speaking for the drivers, said
The proposed code is entirely I'M
satisfactory and means nothing
more than a further reduction of
the living conditions of the men"
Speaking in the afternoon ses-
sion Morris M. Katz, of the Queens
Taxi Cab Service, who declared
that he represented the owners of
5000 cabs, made known his opposi-
ton to even the miserable minimum
$l2 week wage Of the projected
code.
I am in favor of the theory of
reduced hours for people EMPLOYED
at a salary" Mr.. KATE said, "but I
am opposed to reduction of hours
when men work on a commission
basis" No less than a 6O-hour
week would be acceptable to him. he
stated.
Morris Hotchner. oily-mouted
counsel for the National Taxicab
Association and representative of
the United Taxicab Board of Trade,
was just as emphatic in his opposi-
ton OF the principle of the mini
mum wage. The gist of Hotchner's
remarks was that conditions ought
to be allowed to remain as they are
while I'VE wait until prosperity
comes back"
Company Union Man Speaks
Gerald E. Kanln, chairman of
the Terminal System Drivers Asso-
citation "a company union, agreed
with all the anti-labor remarks of
Katz and Hotchner.
The Taxi Drivers Union will
present their code, which demands
a minimum wage of 500 week for
day drivers and $25 for night men,
unemployment insurance and rec
ognition of the union.