The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-12
First Furniture
Convention Faces
The Big Factories
Continued from, Page u

a big ovation when he greeted the
convention Saturday.
In the main report, which was
made Saturday by Joe Kiss, national
secretary Of the union, the aims Of
the convention were clearly pointed
out.
Here we want to state the main
characteristic features which have
brought about the organization of
our class struggle industrial unions
in contrast with the A. r. of L.
craft division policy, collaborating
and serving today as the agencies
Of the bosses and the government
in enforcing slave wage scales, try
ing TO suppress any militant rank
and file action, which is taking
place now in the A. r. of L.
unions" said Kiss in his open re-
marks.
"At this Convention, we will def
nitely establish new militant ma
tiOnai organization Of furniture
workers which win be able to meet
the attacks of the employers, who
are strongly organized in. the
numerous Manufacturers AssOcia-
tions. Our form of union must be
iuclusiyely an Industrial Union.
Delegates from Chicago Lancaster,
Pa, Boston and New Orleans who
took the floor in the discussion, all
pointed to the necessity Of turning
the face to the big factories.
start With Big Boss
To-day We are organizing a union
which We will establish in every town
where there are furniture workers, -
said M Pizer, chairman of the first
session. I'VE must build national
union with field organizers who will
be in touch with every furniture
center. we must start with the
big boss; we cannot base our whole
activity on the little cockrosch boss
Well get him too"
The delegate coming the furthest
distance was Frank Deegan, who
represents 3 local of over 100 mem
bers in New Orleans.
Deegan told how the local was or
ganized four months ago, starting
with 20 members. "Our union has
already made the bosses sit up and
take notice." he said.
New Orleans Field Fertile
"The furniture workers never had
an organization in New Orleans -
said Deegan, land we really have q
fertile field for organization. The
wages are in many cases down to
$3.50 a week and never over $3.50"
Boston is represented by 10 dele
gates, representing 1000 workers
Jack McCarty, leader Of the Boston
delegation, reported that the union
has already organized SO per cent of
the workers in the upholstery trade
in this district. Steve Melton, q Ne
gro furniture worker from Boston,
was chairman Of the second session
of the convention.
Hits Company Union
Delegate Blottner from Chicago re-
ceived q big hand when he told how
local 300 led strikes, winning increases
in wages and shorter hours, at the
same time defeating the company
union idea.
To-day we are organizing a union
controlled by the rank and file" de-
clared Blottner.
when the A. F. Of L. goes in for
he continued, ''it goes
in to disorganize. Today we are q
factor in Chicago
Among the last delegates to arrive
were A. Backman and G. Hannula,
LOO from the Allied
Furniture Union, an independent or
ganization, from Gardner, Mass.
The Lancaster, Pa, lnoleu1n work
ers are represented by four delegates.
we have 1900 members" said Harry
Yeager, one Of the most active work
Frs in the union.
The union in Lancaster is con-
fronted with the task Of smashing
up the company union scheme put
recently by the owners Of
The Armstrong Lino1eum Co. The
average pay Of the workers IN this
plant is from SIG to $1S 3 week,
according to Yeager. The plant only
4 short while ago laid off over 900
workers. The union is now OPEN
ng big fight for unemployment in
;urance and relief for these workers.
The Lancaster local gets out a
'emi-monthly paper dealing with
he immediate problems confronting
he workers in the plant.
Many Greetings
kilograms Of greetings we're re-
'eived from the striking workers of
he Berman shop, the Steel and