davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-14

| What he warns the bosses against
is their tendency to rely solely on
their company unions to keep back
the workers struggles. In diplo-
matte language he urges them to
make use of the A F. of L. Official
dom, who are more flexible in
breaking strikes.
General johnson made no bones
about the whole matter. He put
it bluntly.
II would rather deal with Bill
Green, John Lewis, Ed McGrady,
Mike Marlborough, George Berry,
and a host of others l could name
than with any Frankenstein that
you may build up under the guise
of a company union. In fact
take 1t from me and wealth of
experience - THEIR INTERESTS
are YOUR INTERESTS.
In short, the interests of Green
& Co. are the interests of the COM
pany union corporations who want
to smash strikes and keep the work
ers from upsetting the N.R.A. apple
cart.
One reason for this is that in
many plants where company unions
exist the workers have already or
ganized into their own unions, and
in many instances they are A. F. of
l.. unions. This is true Of the Budd
auto body workers, where 1000
voted for the A. F. of L., though
they got company union instead.
It is true in Weirton and in the
U, s. Steel Corporation subsidiaries.
Besides, there are locals of the Auto
Workers Union and the Steel and
Metal Workers Industrial Union
that are leading the fight against
the company union, with advancing
strides.
The bosses will not bulge on their
company unions. They are, how
ever, making them more flexible,
fully complying with N. R. A. re-
quirements. They are maneuvering
with the A. F. of L. officialdom in
view of impending struggles against
the company unions.
At its last Executive Council, the
A. F. of L. already discussed its
strategy on company unions, laying
down a policy that is quite accept
able to the bosses. General John
son knew what he was talking
about IT. was none other than
Matthew Vol, fascist agent and
bitterest enemy OF the militant
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-14
Woll and Dubinsky Map
AFL Policy Favorable
to Company Union

workers, who made the report re-
garding company unions and on
industrial unions"
Employers have taken full ad-
vantage of this situation TSec-
ton la of the N.R.A.J," declares
VOLTS report, which is signed,
among others by the Socialist,
David Dubinsky, "in the organ
izing and maintaining of com
pany unions"
In this situation, the A. F. of L.
Executive Council adopted a flex-
ible policy designed to meet the
wishes of General johnson, Mellon.
du Pont, Swope, Morgan, Teagle or
any of their ilk.
They declared: "The A. F. OIL.
Tread leadership must take com
mand in whatever form the
temporary situation may demand
or require. ID. After all we must
look to the Executive Council Of
the A. F. of L. to serve in this
capacity as never heretofore"
The workers face not only the
danger Of company unions and the
new set-up of the strikebreaking
National Labor Board with its
stronger company union directors.
but the greater treachery Of the A.
F. of L. officialdom who are openly
boosted as the best instruments for
keeping the workers from striking
or wrecking the company unions.
Now that the workers are enter
ing into the sharpest battles against
the company unions in auto. taxi.
aluminium and steel the Communist
Party must take the lead In the
struooles. Some fine work is being
done in Gary and South CHICAGO.
There every move Of the comrany
union is being followed and ex-
posed, and a united front of all
workers "a. F. Of L., S. M. w.
I. U. and unorganized) is being
forged for powerful fight against
the company union.
The workers are ready for the
struggle. That accounts for the fran
tic efforts of General johnson and
Senator Wagner. We cannot waste
a moment in becoming the real van
guard in this fighs
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-14

are being worked out In the free
dom and privacy of Johnson's deep
carpeted Office here-worked out by
johnson and exactly twenty-four
business men. It will not be such
a difficult task, either, for they
know right now just about what
they're going to do, at least on the
two vital points mentioned above.
The central figure among them is
Gerard Swope, president of j. P.
Morgans anti-union General Elec-
trio Company = the ruthless little
gray man who told reporters last
night that they were discussing
something" to take the place Of
N.R.A., but that: I'VE are trying
not to crystalize the plan now lat
least not for public consumption
M. VI because if we do we merely
will have to upset it again"
I shall deal later with the pro-
found threat this business Congress
deeds hold out to all the opponents
of war, of fascism and Of mass pow
erty and with the contradictions
and conflicts among themselves
which the participants clearly evil
denced in their discussions. The
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-14
Gary Worker
Tells of Co.
Union Stools
BY a worker Correspondent

'HNNNNNA WI 10 BAs0-AAA
GARY, Ind.-Concerning the steel
workers, especially the transporta-
ton department of the Gary Steel
Co., and how last Thursday, March
LIST affected them. The bosses have
placed couple of stools there, tell
ing the workers how to vote on the
company union. And not only that,
but one of these stools gives out
the ballot slips and the other one is
hanging on the workers shoulders
to see that they really vote, even
though the workers were not much
interested to vote, for the majority
know what it means to them.
AS for the representative, they
were working for weeks in advance,
pursuing the men (and telling them
how to vote and where to place
their crosses. Mostly on the Eyes"
question But on top of all that.
the workers in general did not know
what they were voting for. Every
worker was given letters with in
structionS that the vote was to be
in changing the bylaws of the
company union.
Well, as matter of fact, we, the
workers, lost out because the work
ers weren't aroused enough on
that. Workers, we have issued
special leaflet and quite a few were
used but not enough. Some of the
workers are wondering yet how they
were defeated. Well, we, the mem
bers Of the S. NJ. w. I. U. have
been agitating before election, dur
ing election, and we will continue
to agitate until we form a real rank
and file united fighting front.
Now, in counting the votes 4,379
for yes and 3,469 nos with 600
thrown out. And that shows the
bosses knew beforehand that work
ers weren't satisfied with the COM
pany union. The S. NJ. w. I. U.
made special appeal to the rest
Of the organizations to come with
us and form a united front. And
as all Of you workers know, the A.
F.. Of L. and the Amalgamated AS
ISOLATION which the same as the A.
F. of L. is fighting against the
workers rights Of forming a united
front. We all know that the A. F.
of L. is the bosses right hand.
That's why the S. NJ. W. I. U. isl
appealing TO the workers of the A.
F. Of L. to come with us ard form
a united front through the form Of
rank and file.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-14
By Steel Worker Correspondent


BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-I watched
with much interest a group of 1000
Negro and white workers on Jan.
rs as they were told by the T. C. 1.
tU. S. SteeD officials, Gregg and
Langrebe, of the love, the faith and
esteem under which the company
held them. The purpose of
the meeting was to force us to ac-
cept the company union.
The first speaker, Vice-President
Langrebe, said he had worked
among the workers for 20 years.
faVoring the men in every respect.
and he must say the men should
now return his many favors.
The second speaker. President
Gregg, after reading the draw up
Of the company union, said. Men.
do you see anything wrong with
that? Your COMM tees who have
signed this company makeup are in
many cases A. F. of L. members.
Whenever your committee cannot
handle your propositions satisfac-
torily then you can enter my office
with same, providing you go at it
in the correct way"
He explained how we'll he loved
each and every big, healthy, hard
working steel worker. How he would
in the future come down through
the plant and even take up some
of his valuable time to have some
few seconds visit with each en-
ploye.
This sounds like velvet to some
workers, but what Gregg's speech
really means to any rank and file
worker is, Men, the company Of
ficials wrote this code. Many of the
committee who represent you be-
long to the A. F. of L. But they
are not the rank and file kind"
Again, when he spoke of the
healthy steel workers he said moth
ing of the half-starved ragged,
Red CroSs-fed youngsters Of such
steel workers, who for the past five
years looked to the coming Of the
Red Cross pity slips ten to che
more than they did to Gregg slips.
What They Did Not Say
Gregg and Langrebe did not say
to the workers: I'VE love you so
well that we will not stock any more
coal alongside the Ore Scales to use
while we starve you and your kids
when you strike
They did not say Men, we think
you not only healthy. strong steel
workers, but men capable of organ
izing as we, the company, has. and
we, the company, will do all in our
power to help YOU
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-14

mediate demsnds-going over the
heads Of the representatives"
whom they have been rapidly
losing all faith in.
The Steel and Metal Workers In
dustrial Union issued a leaflet along
with Sticker to the workers call
ing for the voting down of all forms
OF the company union by the plac-
ing of a sticker upon the ballot
which stated that the worker votes
for the right to join a genuine
trade union.
The workers responded well to
this leaflet and took them into all
corners Of the shops. AS a result
Of this leaflet, the company was
forced to do away with all pre-
tense Of a secret ballot and car
ried through the voting in the IL
linoiS Steel plant at open tables
with the election clerks watching
on, to frighten the workers from
placing the stickers upon the bal
lot.
In spite of this the company is
forced to admit that $50 ballots
were voided," by improper mark
ing Another 1.7C1 workers re-
fused to vote-1OOO of them by
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-14
Nominate 7 Workers for
Gallup City Elections at
United Front Meeting

GALLUP, N. NAT the recent
united front election conference the
following workers have been chosen
as candidates for the coming city
elections:
John Tomac, representative Of the
International Labor Defense; Bill
Cuoton, colored, militant labor
leader, at present employed in the
c. w. A; George Burrola, miner and
member of the subdistrict board of
N. M. u; Harry Mavrogenis, mill
tant N. M. U. elader; Rodrigo Ortiz,
Pete Sanchez and Oliver Leone COM
plete the list of workers who have
been nominated on the basis Of their
undisputed militancy and devotion
to the working class.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-14
Morgan Steel Plant
Vote in Gary Shows
Rise of Bitter Fight

failing to come TO the shop due
to the fact that the balloting took
place on their Day off.
OF the votes cast, 4,27e we're cast
for the new" plan and 3,372 against
it, which means for the old plan.
The 3.372 workers voting against the
"Democratized" plan were attempt
ing TO vote down the company
union but had the illusion that the
government does not recognize"
the old plan and will therefore de-
clare it illegal, The A. A. cultivated
such an idea among the workers,
but after the leaflet issued by the
Steel and Metal Workers Industrial
Union were forced to take a more
left" stand upon the question, even
though they refused the proposal
Of the Steel and Metal Workers In
dustrial Union for a united front
fight against the company union.
The desire for unity Of the A. A.
membership forced the A. A. lead
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-14
NRA Ferilised GroOth Of Go. Unions with Hid OF

ing new ones on the workers. This
happened in Weirton Steel, in
Budd, in Fords, in the U. S. Steel
subsidiaries, and in hundreds of
other plants.
But the workers are going into
battle against the company unions.
This is shown in the rising strike
wave particularly in the industries
with the most powerful company
unions.
At this point, the N.R.A. and the
National Labor Board steps in
again. They want to drive new
wedge between the workers and
their fight against the company
unions. General johnson openly
offers Green, Lewis & Co. to the
bosses in place of their Franken-
stein company unions. Their in
terests are your interests" he tells
the bosses.
Senator Wagner prepares a new
bill for the National Labor Board.
He waves it in front Of the workers
with new promises of "curtailing"
company unions. President Roose-
welt "revises" the National Labor
Board by adding more corporation
officials that have the strongest
company unions in their plants.
Gerard Swope, president of the
Morgan General Electric Co.-com-
pany union advocates put on the
Board.
Clay Williams, Of the Reynolds
Tobacco Co. with it's company union,
LIS added to the board to fight COM
pany unions"
Pierre s. du Point, war material
manufacturer, one of the out
standing advocates of the company
unions, is chairman of the N.R.A.
Advisory Board.
Walter Teagle, another member
Of the National Labor Board, and
the N.R.A. Advisory Board, has the
Department of Commerce send
through the U. S. Post Office, free
Of charge, propaganda for the COM
pany unions, and instructions to the
bosses on how to strengthen them
against the resistace of the workers.
FACING the worst strike epidemic"
in the history Of the country, as
General johnson puts it, the bosses
discuss ways of smashing the strike
wave. The U. S. Steel Corporation
subsidiaries strengthen their COM
pany unions. They do this by q
fake referendum announced as
complying with the MIRA" to
make the company unions per
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-14

manent." Senator Wagner and
General Johnson, speaking for Pre-
sident Roosevelt, are completely in
harmony with the main objective Of
the bosses-that is, stopping the
strike wave and keeping the work
ers tied down to the coolie wage
standards. But they think some OF
the bosses are too mechanical and
blunt and are heading for head
on collision of the workers against
the company unions.
Sestor Wagner writes his views
for the New York Times Sunday
March IL. He clearly outlines the
tasks of stopping strikes.
"As matter of fact" he says,
"the company union cannot sus-
tain even the claim that it tends
to insure industrial peace.
1t has been my observation that
industrial strife is most violent
when company unionism enters
into the situation, and that the
company union line OF organization
is least likely to bring forth the
restraint of irresponsible employees
by others of their own group"
Here it is in nutshell. Senator
Wagner wants to revise the Ma
tional Labor Board to help improve
the company unions SO that it can
stop industrial strife"
He tells the bosses that the new
set up of the National Labor Board,
with its phrases supposed to be d.
rected against the company unions,
Is entirely In their interest.
Most important of ALL" he
wrives, 'rar-signted and broad
visioned employers who recognize
the certainty of economic discord
and the threat to our entire eco
nomic program that is implicit in
the present status of labor rela-
tions will Join whole heartedIy in
this proposal for improvement"
He tells them the National Labor
Board Bill is modelled after the
Railway Labor Act. The Railway
Labor Act has been able to slash
the railway workers pay, and con-
tinue to slash it. 1t has helped the
building of company unions. And
1t has kept back strikes, with the
help of the Railroad Brotherhood
officials.
He praises the company unions,
especially for their disciplining the
workers, saying: "The company
union has improved personal rela-
lions. group welfare activities, dis
cipline and other matters which
may be handled on . local basis"
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-14
Parmelee Bosses Aim to
StifIe Militant Voice
OF Drivers
By HARRY RAYMOND

NEW YORK. Parmelee Sys-
TENS company union, led by Mr..
James I. Cuff, recent candidate for
New York City Controller on the
Recovery Party ticket, if saddled
upon the taxi drivers, would indeed
place them in a Nhelpless condition
of utter impoverishment. The aim
of this organization, against which
the drivers are fighting so militant
ly, is to bind every hackman, every
worker of the company, hand and
foot to the wage-cutting program OF
the powerful General Motors Com
pany. Once the drivers are herded
into this so-called Drivers Brother
hood their militant voice will be
stifed; any protest against discrimi-
nation or the blacklist or the jim
crow tactics Of the company will be
met with the iron fist Of police rule.
The bosses agents who have or
ganized this company union tell the
men that the aim of the Brother
hood is 30 improve personal rela-
tlons and group welfare activities.
They say that the company is in
terested in the welfare of the driv-
ers, But the companys action dur
ing the period Of the strike and be-
fore the strike has proven other
wise.
Union men who were fighting for
the welfare Of the drivers have been
fred by the company union lead
ers. The blacklist system is more
extensively used in Parmelee garages
than any other garages in the city.
Company union men, working with
the police, have brutally assaulted
and caused the arrest of union
drivers who were picketing the
garages, who were fighting for bread
for their wives and children. Negro
drivers working for Parmelee have
been jim-crowed. segregated and
Disseminated against by opponents
and leaders of the company union.
And hobnobbing with these lead
ers, assisting them to perpetuate the
vicious company union, is Mrs. Eli
more Herrick, chairman of the Re-
gional Labor Board. She suggests
that the 4,500 Parmelee hacknen
call off their strike against the COM
pany union and vote on the ques-
ton. This is an obvious strike
breaking proposal aimed at smash
ing the militant Taxi Drivers Union
of Greater New York It would
throw the drivers at the mercy of
the company union. The drivers
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-14
By BILL GEBERT

An outstanding result of the
Roosevelt New Deal" NR.A., ETC.,
is the growth of company unions
throughout the country. Nearly
100000 workers and primarily in
the basic industries, steel, metal
auto, packing house, railroads, are
forced to belong to company owned
and controlled unions, or sometimes
called employees representative
plan" This places before our Party,
the trade union of the T.U.U.L. and
opposition movement inside Of the
A. F. of L. the tremendous task of
winning the workers who are forced
into the company union and to
defeat and destroy the company
unions, which are embryos of fas-
cist organizations in the shops and
built on the model of the corpora
i've state and syndicates in Italy
and Germany.
In the Chicago District we obtain
ed some experiences in the work
against the company unions.
In the Illinois Steel in Gary. in
the Party shop paper. THE Gary
Steel Worker" for February, an
editorial appears, written by a
member of the District Committee,
which declares that workers in the
mill must stick together and keep
at the heels of the company union
representatives who are now de-
Tending the company interests, but
who must be forced to act In our
behalf" That is, he demands that
the representative of the company
unions are to become the spokes-
men for the workers in the shops.
This question was raised at the
shop nucleus meeting of the Illinois
Steel in Gary and the unit unani-
mouSly rejected this position and
reiterated it's previous position on
this question. that in the struggle
against the company unions it is
necessary to build committees in
every department, consisting of
workers who are members of the
S.M.WI.U., members of the A. F. of
NJ. and unorganized workers to set
up this committee of the united
front from below In every DEPART
ment, and they are to act in behalf
of the workers of the given depart
ment and not the company union
representatives and that demands
of the workers can be placed be-
fore reps" as. they are placed be-
fore boss.
We cite this example to point
out that the Communists cannot
and under no conditions should
create even slightest illusions that
the so-called workers represent
tatives can act in behalf of the
workers. That in all cases, the So
called workers representatives on
the company union are the tools of
the boss and instruments of the
company against the workers.
Working In Company Unions.
How then shall we carry on work
inside the company unions? Here
we will cite concrete examples. In
the Illinois Steel mill in Gary, be-
cause Of the growing discomfort of
The workers, the workers represen-
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-14
By MARGUERITE YOUNG
Daily Worker Washington Bureau
Article /.

WASHINGTON, March 13.-They
are going to deck company union
ism out in a nice, respectable dress
New Deal legality. They are go
ing to sprinkle several hundred
representatives Of labor "consun1-
ers," and government" including
many q. s. Army officers, among
the thousands of big business men
who make up the N. R. A. Code
Authorities, and turn over to this
group virtual dictatorship in
American industrial life.
These are among the most i'm
minent results of the Congress of
Industry" held this week under the
auspices of the MIRA. These and
q new barrage Of ballyhoo that will
make the first seem like Com
munity Chest campaign.
AS N.R.A. Administrator General
Hugh S. johnson put it to the 1000
or so employers of 90 per cent Of
those Shaving under NRA. codes,
the meeting this week was just the
first step" The other steps now
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-14
Stickers Demand Right
To Join Genuine
Trade Union

GARY, Ind, March 12.-The re-
turns from the recent baIoting on
the company union in the Gary
mills Of the United States Steel
Corporation show very clearly a
tremendous opposition Of the work
ers to the company union.
The voting was to be upon the
question Of new" or "old" COM
pany union plan with the balloting
to be only yes and no" The
new features of the plan were de-
vised by the company in order to
re-estabish the workers faith in
the company union, because Of tine
fact that the workers have been
developing struggles for their i'm
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-14
Experiences in Struggle
Against Bosses Unions

tatives in the company union placed
demand of 80 1-s per cent in
crease in wages before the company,
not for the purpose of fighting for
it, but for the purpose of showing
that the company union is taking
Continued on Page g.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-14

ers to later take a stand Of alb
staining from voting.
In the American Sheet g. Tin
Plate plant in Gary the company
posted signs warning the workers
against placing stickers upon the
ballots. Workers in this plant were
told by the company that they
would be laid off If they voted
radical" Although Illinois Steel
claims victory for the company
union, even their own figures of
1872 Nos; 1,700 Assumptions: $50
voided gives a total Of 1852 votes
clearly directed against the com
pany union in comparison to 4,279
for the "democratized" plan. The
Steel and Metal Workers Industrial
Union plans an intensive campaign
to follow up this fight against the
company union. The A. F. OF L. is
petitioning the National Labor
Board for new elections, but the
Steel and Metal Workers Indus
trial Union is organizing the work
ers to organize their strength in
every department and by struggle
for their demands win the recogni-
ton Of their own committees and
smash the company union.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-14

A vote cast for any form Of DE COM
pany union will be twisted TO mean op-
position 70 a real union Of workers.
That is why Gleason, in his letter Of
February 26th, states that this vote
will make It permanent and meet legal
,Eeqnirements.n The company which has