The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-10-03
Heads of Shoe
Union Passive
to Danger Sign
BY a Shoe Worker Correspondent

BOSTON, NaSS.-A tense Situa-
ton among the shoe workers of
Boston exists. More than 5000, or
about rs per cent of all the Boston
shoe workers, are on the streets.
The shoe manufacturers are press
ing for wage cuts, despite the fact
that the recent agreement signed on
Aug. l resulted in wage cuts in most
instances.
Even during the so-called busy
season, which is very short, the
earnings of the shoe workers are low.
The majority earn from $11 to $40
for a 40-hour week. Very few get
more than that Taking into con-
sideration that shoe worker does
not work full time more than three
to four months during the year, his
average wage is from Sc to $40
week.
At the mass meeting, called by the
Joint Council of Boston, on Sept. 26,
about 1900 workers were present.
The meeting was addressed by the
General Organizer of the United
Shoe and Leather Workers Union,
Mackesey, the General Secretary
Treasury, George Wilson, a member
Of the Council, Patsy Benedict, and
by Mike Salvagio, member of the
General Executive Beard. Paul Sal
vagio was chairman.
AS usual, none of the speakers
made any proposal as to what should
be done in answer to the shoe man
utacturerS who demand wage cuts
and who aim to destroy the union.
Mr.. Mackesey took occasion to make
a bitter attack against the leader
ship of the N. Y. union in a con-
cealed way, and also served notice to
the Boston District Council leader
ship, saying that the general Off
Gals of the union will not tolerate
an "unconstructive" criticism, no
matter where it does come from.
Mike Salvagio of the G.E.B. said
that although on the one hand he
accepts most of the criticism levelled
at the G, E. B. and recognized that
the GEB. made lot of mistakes"
on the other hand, he defended gen
eraly the policies of the Resident
Committee of the G.E.B.
He said that he is as militant as
any one of the rank and file. but
that militancy cannot at present
help to solve the situation; in other
words, he does not stand for a policy
Of militant struggle.
The only concrete proposals for
immediate action came embodied in
a resolution presented to the meet
ing by the Stitchers local. The res
olution was read at the end of the
meeting, only after the insistence on
the part Of the militant rank and
file Of the Stitchers local that it be
read.
Under the excuse that many had
already left the meeting. the chair
man managed to put through an
amendment that the resolution be
proposed to the locals for approval.
The resolution calls for strikes
against wage-cuts, for a fight for
immediate unemployment relief.
and for the Workers Unemployment
Insurance Bill 1898, for or
ganization of demonstrations in
front of shops that threaten to move
out, and for preparations for a gen
eral strike for the doing away with
grading, and for the establishment
OF the minimum hourly rate for
skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled
workers. and for shorter hours.
The situation is an alarming one.
The shoe workers are thoroughly
disguised with the officialdom of
the union. The bosses take advan-
tage Of the unemployment situation
and attempt to enforce further wage
cuts. The rank and file members of
the union begin to realize that only
by adopting policy of struggle
against the manufacturers can the
union be strengthened. 1t is the job
OF the militant rank and filler in the
union to mobilize the shoe workers
in every shop and in every local to
put the program embodied in the
stitchers resolution into action.