Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-07-27
History of the National Lumber
Workers Union. BY JAMES MURPHY

At the wage conference, called
July Is, 1888, a program was de-
vised after a broad discussion on
the conditions in the lumber in
dustry which were being rapidly
changed by the lumber code be-
ing put into effect.
Spontaneous strikes were TAX
ing place throughout the North
west camps due to the prOpa-
ganda put out by the NLWU ex-
posing the fallacy of the lumber
code. Due to the influence of the
NLWU among the lumber work
ers the conference call correctly
entitled Call to Action" was TAX
en- at face value by the lOggers in
Grays HarbOr and the demands
of the NLWU were presented to
the lmuber operators who re-
jected them which was respons-
IDLE for the strikes spreading to
more than a dozen mills and
camps.
The lumber workers in Klam-
math Falls organized out OF the
ALL, also struck for higher wages
realizing the need of unity en-
dOrsed the demands of the MI
WI and pledged their support
and solidarity to the striking
lumber workers of Grays HarbOr.
The AFL leadership cola bOrating
with the bosses stifled this strug-
gle and sent these workers back
to work before their demands
were granted. $50 4
.NLWU Forces Wage Increase
Due to these struggles, under
the guidance of the NLWU, were
instrumental in forcing the NRA
administration to increase the
minimum wage from the original
3d.. cents an hour to a.. cents.
The conference was the opening
gun which correctly analysed the
lumber code as weapon in the
hands of the lumber operators
to be used in their new and fresh
attacks against the living stand
ards of the lumber workers.
The conference devised a cor.
rect Oragnizational Offensiy
against the lumber operators by
expanding the Union on the
basis of struggle in numerous
mills and camps of the larger out
fits in the Northwest.
During the period of the First
National Convention, many con-
cessiOns were gained through
! struggle with the offensive of the
NRA regional boards in commune
ton with the West Coast Lum-
Germans association, was direct
ed against the rank and file
union proving to the lumber
workers that the NRA and its
section as far as protecting the
rights of the workers was only a
farce.
Action was taken to involve all
lumber workers regardless of
their union utilization. A broad
and active National Committee
was elected to guide the Union
for the coming period of 1884
In spite of the fact that NRA
regional boards worked in con.
junction with the West Coast
Lumbermen's association to break
up this rank and file union, the
NLWU won many concessions
during the early months of this
year.
The lumber workers were
clearly shown that the boast of
the NRA and its section z, that
it protected the rights of the
rank and file, was farcial.
AS the NRA began to crumble,
1T endeavored to bolster I'D tot
tering capitalism by initiation. 1t
became necessary to call another
wage conference to formulate
new demands to cope with the
ra pf dly increasing commodity
prices.
The AT of L and AL officialdom.
running true to color, did not
concern. themselves with this
pressing problem. This confer
ence expressed the interests of
all the lumber workers.
More than $4,000 organized
workers from five different I'm.
ions were represented and unan
imously endorsed the following
demands:
/. That the minimum wage
scale for the lumber industry
shall be $3.50 for six hour day.
2. Time and a half for over
time. Overtime to be worked
only in emergency cases.
3. Wages to b eincreased &c.
cording to the rise in living
costs.
4. Abolition Of all piece and
contract work.
8. Against speed-up and short
handed crews.