The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-06-05
'NRA TO FACE
new CRISIS IN
STEEL UNREST
Workers Have 42-Year- Old
Tradition of Fighting
for Rights.
By United Press

WASHINGTON, June 5-This
week the government comes up
against its hardest labor problem
the threatened steel strike.
Labor in this industry has a
forty two-year-old tradition of
fighting for what it wants.
Steel workers started fighting for
recognition in 1892, and received
their baptism of fire at Homestead
in 1919 and 1920. They understand
from bitter experience the technique
OF industrial war, the dangers they
face from civil authorities don1i-
mated by steel mills, from coal and
iron police, from paid labor spies in
their own ranks.
The steel strikes of 1919 started
when wages were cut at the end of
the war. The men and women
knew that their employers had made
profits averaging 20.2 per cent a
year for the past four years. They
were working, on an average. 68.7
hours week. Some worked on
twenty hour shifts.
Pay Is Inadequate
There were about 100000 steel
workers at that time. A survey
made later by the federal council
OF the Churches of Christ in
America showed that 80 per cent
did not earn enough to keep their
families at the minimum Subsist-
ence level for family of five as
found by government departments.
When the strike was overland
lost-the government made an eff.
fort to have the twelve-hour daJs
in steel abolished. 1t failed.
From that time until passage of
the recovery act the Amalgamated
Association of Iron, Steel and Tin
Workers was little more than
name. But even before the old
union had a chance to congratulate
itself that at last the government
was guaranteeing the right of COL
lective bargaining, the steel mill
owners marshaled their forces
against it.
Industry HurIs Challenge
The industry flung down its chal-
lenge through Robert P. Lamong,
speaking for the American Iron and
Steel Institute, it warned that if its
position were not protected in the
bill the intent and purpose of the
bill can not be accomplished.
1t threw down another challenge
when it prepared a steel code and
laid it before NRA. This document
had section providing for organ
ization of company unions and
stating that collective bargaining
would be carried on in no other way.
NRA refused to approve the code
with that section in it, but when it
was stricken out Mr.. Lamong said
1T should be understood that
omission of the section does not
imply any changes in the attitude
of the industry"
Labor won an eight-hour day,
averaged over fixed periods, through
the steel code, and wage cuts have
been restored. But recognition of
the union and collective bargaining
are as far away as they were a
year ago.
Fair Election Promised
Steel mills have arranged to hold
company union elections June IL
and Is, at which workers repre-
Sentatives for bargaining" are to
be selected. President Roosevelt, in
renewing the steel code last week,
promised that workers would have
a chance to vote at elections under
the supervision OF an appropriate
governmental agency" 1t was not
made clear whether the government
plans to act in connection with the
steel mill elections set for next
week.
The government is already en-
gagged in a court battle with Weirton
Steel Company over this very issue
and has lost the first round.
That's the way things stand as
the week-certain to make history
in Steel-beginS.