The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-12-14
The Cadillac Elections

THE decision of the District Council of
l the United Automobile Workers Union
"a. F. of L. to withdraw from the ''presi-
Dental pact of March 25, is evidence of
the intense dissatisfaction of the automo-
bile workers This pact" was signed by William
Green and other A. F. of L. leaders last March to
prevent an automobile workers strike. Under the
agreement, the Automobile Labor Board was set up
as a compulsory arbitration body. The agreement
gave the company union full rights before the board
and provided that unions must submit their men,
-bership- lists to the board before discrimination
cases would be considered.
The A. F. Of L. leaders who helped the en-
ployers and Roosevelt set up this board have now
been forced by the rebellion of the workers to with
draw from it. But even in this withdrawal the
A. F. of L. ofhcialdom again attempt to betray the
auto workers. They once more attempt the same
no-strike policy OF cooperation with the employers
which defeated the auto workers demands last
March. They call for another impartial" board, to
replace the Auto Labor Board which is discred1ted
among the auto workers They hide from the work
ers that such new board, like the old, would
tnue to carry the wishes of the employers. They
now attempt to divert the auto workers from the
only means which will win their demands-the
preparation of a strike for higher wages, lower
hours, against the speed-up and for union recogn-
ton.
Now the Auto Labor Board has prepared framed
up elections in the Cadillac plant as the first auto
elections These elections are framed in advance to
aid the company unions. Thy were decided on last
March and were delayed and delayed by the Auto
Labor Board until the company union propaganda
could be flooded into the plants, and until ayoffS
sapped the membership of the A. F. of L. union
The Auto Labor Board decided the elections must
be held in inside the plant and decided that the
company union could be voted for along with other
unions.
While William Green, under the intense pressure
of the workers. forced to denounce these cleo
tons and declare that the auto workers would not
participate, he continued his betrayal policy by re-
fusng to lift finger to mobilize the workers for
fight He said not word about the necessity of
strike preparation if the demands are to be won.
The elections proposed by the Automobile Labor
Board are clearly fraud and in advance assure
that collective bargaining will be dominated by the
company union.
The reason the first elections are scheduled in
the Cadillac plant is because the unions there are
very weak The intention of the Automobile Labor
Board and the manufacturers is to use the Cadillac
elections to create atmosphere that the workers
favor the company unions It is step toward
fastening the company unions upon the workers in
all other auto plants.
The Communists propose concentrated united
campaign of all real labor unions in the auto indus
try to defeat the company unions. The fight now
must aim to force the Labor Board to call off the
elections. The unions should unite behind the de-
mand for elections during the height of the season.
when the workers in the plants to vote 1t is
not those who most consciously support unionism
that the company retains in the plants during the
slow periods. The workers should demand democ-
in tHon lpptiO f11Ir
ton within the plant for the real unions The
Communist Party calls upon all production workers
to vote for the A. F. of L. representatives while all
tool and dye makers should vote for the Mechanics
Educational Society of America
If, however, the fight to force the Automobile
Labor Board to change its decision fails the Com
munlst Party calls upon the Cadillac workers to
register their sentiment for real union. All pro-
auction workers should vote for the A. F. of L.
while all tool and dye makers should vote for the
Mechanics Educational Society.