Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-08-17

the recognition Of the Fisher
men and Canncry Workers In
duStrial Union.
Fishermen Met July 2
The drastic wage reduction OF
from 80 l-3 per cent to 80 per cent
came after the Neah Bay July 2
strike meeting, when the reac-
tiOnary leadership of the Purse
Seine Boat Owners Association,
as well as the FishermenS Pack
ing Corporation of Everett, sue
ceeded in demOraliZing h G
struggle by terror, discrimina-
ton, and intimidation, so that
the ranks were opened to the
attacks of the canncry bosses.
This resulted in the above price
cut.
AnacOrtCS was chosen as strike
headquarters and all boats in
structed to assemble there. LeaV-
ing the fishing grounds at Cape
Flattery for IA hundred mile jour
nCy to AnacOrteS, more than 200
large Seine boats, aS an organ
lied fleet coming through the
Straits of Juan de FuCa at sun
set, presented Il most inspiring
sight Organized working class
! strength under militant rank and
| file leadership.
Arriving in AnacOrtes on the
morning of August 3, the fisher.
men found their leader, Emil Lin
den, under arrest and lodged in
the local Jail. Linden is National
Secretary of the Fishermen and
Cannery Workers Industrial I'm
ion. Immediately mobilization be.
gan for the fight for his release.
Within u few hours 1000 fisher
men had maSsed IN AnacOrtes,
and the town appeared as under
seige by the determined, angry
workers.
Ultimatum Issued
An ultimatum was issued to
the Chamber of Commerce and
the Merchants Association that
unless their secretary was i'm
mediately released the strike
would continue Indefinitely. All
negotiations were refused and a
boycott of the town threatened.
The bosses had no choice but to
release their prisoner.
The first mass strike meeting
was called for the afternoon of
the same day, and at once the
fight between the rank and file,
and the bosses and their fascist
agents, began. Zurich. Vice Presi
dent of the Association, maneuver-
ed himself into presiding over the
meeting.
/ Makovich Booed
MakOvich, Secretary of the
Purse Seiner's Association and
President of the Fishdrmen's
Packing Corporation of Everett.
was bOoed down by the fisher
men when he attempted to
speak, following Linden. Mako
Vich was ruled out as a repre-
sentative of the bosses by a mo-
tiOn made and unanimously car
ried by the rank and file.
Zurich attempted to rule the
motion out of order, but was pre-
vented. MakOvich then attempt
ed to speak on Initiative No. II,
but was Immediately halted by
motion preventing any discussion
of the Initiative during the
strike meetings. MakOvich was
expelled from the meeting.
Elect Strike Committee
A strike committee was elected
to carry on negotiations with the
bosses and Zurich, again chair
man, allowed the Cannery repre-
sentatives to come into the strike
committee meeting over the pro-
test of the committee.
At a second mass strike meet
ing, August 4, a rank and file
chairman was elected, and Zurich,
who had been carrying on secret
negotiations in the office of the
harvest Packing Company, was
placed on trial, and, failing to
prove his innocence, was expelled
from the strike committee.
Failing in their disruptive tao
ties in AnacOrtes, Jurich and Ma
kovich then transferred their
activities to Seattle, calling a
special meeting of shippers and
boat owners there. Thirty skip
pers out of the $50 boats involved
in the strike attended the meet
ing.
Jurich's Statements Lies
From this meeting the bosses
sent a signed statement by Ju-