The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-28
Merging of Marine Unions Urged to Beat Agreement
By Linbach

There those who try to prevent united action
by saying that unity is impossible with dual or
rival organization" This sometimes confuses many
workers who sincerely desire. not only united &C
tion but one union in the industry.
The Marine Workers Industrial Union Is not
responsible for the fact that there are number of
unions in the industrynor do we desire it! Who is
responsible who caused the defeat of the 1921
strike? Who carried through mass expulsions of
militant members of the I. S. U. and who fought
against rank and file control? One hundred thou
sand seamen dropped out of the L S. U. because of
these things The further pursuit of these disas-
trous policies left the seamen unorganized for
years. and the lack of democracy in the L S. u and
the inability and unWiingness of the T. S. u leaders
to organized the unorganized and lead them in the
fight against the shipowners compelled the seamen
to organize a union which would enable them to
resist the attacks of the shipowners During its ex
istence the Marine Workers Industrial Union has
led hundreds of ship strikes, as well the coal
boat and Munson strikes the recent Atlantic strike
and has splendid record in the Pacific strike,
where it was the first to rally the seamen for ac-
ton. 1t has constantly struggled for the demands of
the unemployed. These facts admit no argument
that the Marine Workers Industrial Union has JUS
titled its birth in 1885,
And since it's birth the M w l. u has stood.
not only for united action but for the uniting of
all forces in the industry into one union that would
guarantee rank and file control full trade union
democracy and be based program of struggle
against the shipowner In order to remove all
stumbling blocks to united action for the defeat of
the proposed agreement, and in keeping with its
basic policies the National Committee of the Marine
Workers Industrial Union therefore stands ready
to propose to its membership the merging of the
M w. I. u with the I. S. u on the following basis
a. That the proposed agreement be Immediately
submitted to all the seamen for complete report
and the widest possible discussion and action and
referendum vote of all seamen union and non
union, scabs exempted. We agree to abide by the
majority vote Of the seamen.
b. In the event the agreement is rejected by
such vote the negotiations shall be reopened and
carried by democratically elected negotiations
committee.
If the membership of the I S. U. agrees to such
program of immediate action against the agree
ment we believe that trade union unity could
rapidly be accomplished on the following basis and
guarantees
a. Transfer of membership books without dis
elimination. All members of M. w. 1. U. in good
standing to have same status in I S. U.
~ OiilCldio W NC IeSpOllSlUlS W Idllk dlu LIE,
full guarantees of democracy which means right of
members to express and fight for their opinions and
the right Of election to all positions.
g The carrying through of general elections and
the calling of a national convention within stip
ulated period of time.
The Marine Workers Industrial Union stands
ready to enter into negotiations with the Interna
tional bodies of the l. S. U. concerning the pro-
posals contained in this letter. The National Com
mittee also proposes that its branches in every port
submit the proposals to the respective branches of
the I. S. u In ports where branches of the M. w.
l. U. and I. S. U. endorse the proposals for merging
we recommend that unity committees be established
Immediately to organize united front in the ports
and ships to struggle against attempts to enforce
the agreement, while awaiting action of the other
ports on the question of merging the two unions.
Brothers 1T is planned to enforce the agreement
on JAM l. We must act at once to defeat it. We
believe that the proposals in this letter, if given
immediate and serious attention will not only help
to defeat the agreement, but will also lead to the
complete organization of all seamen, into one union
and will be big step forward toward the eventual
unifcation of the seamen with the longshoremen
into powerful industrial union.
NATIONAL COMMITTEE,
MARINE WORKERS INDUSTRIAL UNION.