The daily worker., 1934-03-26
St. Louis Auto
Men Ready
For Strike e
Greet T.U.U.L. Leaflets
Calling for Strike
Organization

%. AOObo, MdTcn Z0.-EVefy ef-
fort Is being made by A. F. of L.
leaders to keep the 5000 workers in
the Chevrolet and Fisher body
plants from striking. There is a
tremendous spirit for struggle
among these workers.
On Wednesday, the day the A. F.
OF l.. leaders stopped the strike and
went to Washington to continue to
postpone action, the Trade Union
Unity League here distributed leaf
lets at the factory gates calling for
immediate strike action. The leaflets
which exposed Green and Collins
were eagerly taken by the auto
workers. The local A. F. of L. leader
was at the factory gate, derby, spats
and all, watching seven or eight
rank and file A. F. of L. members
distribute the T.U.U.L. leaflets.
The workers who missed taking
leaflets were told about them by the
others who got the leaflets. When
they heard of the leaflets they came
back. Get one of those leaflets.
That's got the real stuff in it!'
many declared.
A large number came over to the
workers distributing the leaflets,
which answered the full page adver-
tisement of the bosses against the
workers. Say this is that Detroit
bunch" some of them said. Mostly
sort Of Communistic, isn't it? But
Jeez, they sure put up swell scrap
up there last year, didn't they?
Well, we need more Of that stuff
here"
The 5000 st. Louis auto workers
have been suffering particularly
from the worsening conditions. Over
400 were fired for union activity.
Speed up is terrific. Negro workers
in the plants are especially NAL
treated, bullied and Disseminated
against.
Meanwhile, the company has tried
to corral the workers into a com
pany union, but this was so strong
ly resisted by the workers in the
plant, that the only ones they could
get in were a few professional scabs,
foremen and stool pigeons fur
nished by industrial detective" or
CARNATIONS.
The rank and file members of the
union are, and have been, very mill
tant, the A. F. of L. leadership here
playing its usual role of stalling and
collaborating with the bosses and
the National Labor Board. The in
dignation of the rank and file grew
to such an extent that a number
came to the T.U.UL. headquarters
to ask advice on how to defeat these
stalling and betraying tactics. Un-
fortunately, there is as yet no or
ganized rank and file movement in
the union, but even the unorganized
anger of the workers is beginning
to make things "hot" for the A. F.
of L. leaders.
1t Is up to the rank and file to
force action in the situation here.
Only complete shutdown of the
factories will make the automobile
manufacturers accept the just de-
mands of the workers. Any heSita-
ton to use the weapon of the strike
will only help the employers in
their merciless drive to keep the in
tolerable open shop conditions. All
the negotiations in Washington and
New York will bring no satisfaction
to the workers unless the strike Is
used and the real strike leaders are
the workers representatives.
Workers of Chevrolet and Fisher
Body in st. Louis Strike is our
only weapon now! We must strike
now! Let the rank and file decide
its course and not the handful of
oficialsl Elect large strike COM
mittees in every department from
the ranks of all men regardless of
union membership or craft. All
power to negotiate, to lead the
strike, and to make settlements
must be in the hands of the joint
strike committee of the workers!
Have the strike committee call
city-wide conference of all labor or
ganizations, unions, political and
fraternal organizations to secure
the greatest public support striking
workers ever had in st. LouiSi