The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-11-12

NCOHJtNUtu JFOHt age IL
even consider such a contract, and
insisted that it be disposed of right
there. Read the contract, read
the contract" came from all parts
of the hall.
Still hoping to avert the killing
Of the contract on the spot, Ammi-
ratio introduced the attorney of the
union, former Police Recorder
Harry Joelson. Joelson had thus
far commanded a considerable re-
Spect among the workers. In fact,
he was greeted with applause from
several parts of the hall. But as
soon as it became clear that he was
a pinch hitter" to advise them to
take the contract, he was booed off
the stage. Joelson tried a sob story,
of how he devoted all his life to the
workers interests, lost many clients
on that account, and so forth, but
he could not move the determined
workers.
Rank and File Leadership
George Baldanzi, president of the
Dyers' Federation, rose and ex-
pressed what appeared like a neu-
trail take it or leave it" position:
He proposed that if a vote by accla-
nation is desired, he would arrange
for the Hinchkliffe Stadium, where
all the workers could gather. But
the workers felt that that meant
delay and no more than listening
to few speeches of the officials,
that there would be no opportunity
to read the contract and discuss it
point by point. The shouts con-
tinued, Read the contract" Bal
dsnd was jeered throughout his
talk. Especially when he read the
telegram from the Labor Relations
Board telling the workers to go
back to work and leave their de-
mands to arbitration, which was
taken as a hint that the contract
had better be approved.
1t soon became evident that it
was the workers on the settlement
committee who had the leadership
of the workers.
IF you want my personal opinion
of this contract, its no damned
goodp shouted Charles Vigorito,
vice-president of the union and a
worker on the settlements commit
tee. With this he virtually brought
down the house with applause and
cheers. The officials, shaking with
fright in front of their own mem
bers, saw themselves completely de-
feated.
..Tor.-c-5 Unanimous
rem then on the meeting vent
down to business. Tavano, also one
Of the workers of the settlements
committee, read the contract and at
each point a vote was taken. There
was little difficulty, as everything
was unanimous and by reclamation
Among those who reported was Tony
Ventura, one of the young workers
on the settlements committee, who
gained the reputation of being a
red" because he fought, but lost
in the fight in the settlement COM
mittee to make May First holiday
and close the shop, on that day.
But he won when the question was
brought before the masses.
When the whole contract was read
over and changed to suit the work.
ers, Tavano, who was reading it,
pointed out that several points he
declared were agreed upon in the
negotiations were not included in
the typewriter form. 1t was
Schavick, lawyer for the employers,
who drafted it. Upon examination
it was found that all those points
included improvements for the
workers; no tending frame with less
than two men, one man shall oper-
ate calender at all times, no man
more than two jigge-s, or
two wizzes, one truck for every two
machines in waiting departments,
extra man for every three printing
machines, etc.
Ammirato Explains"
All eyes we're directed to Ammi-
ratio for an explanation. And mere
is where it became clear that the
workers were to be given their first
taste Of the impartial" committee.
All tn ese points, Ammirato ex-
planned, somebody decided to refer
to section of the contract which
provides for this so-called "impar-
tial" committee.
More angry than ever, and sure
that their suspicious against their
leaders were all well founded, the
workers decided that al those
points must also go in, with all other
changes made by the workers.
Following disposal of the contract,
it was decided that all turn out for
picketing on Monday morning.
Upon hearing that the Warren plant
at Union City was planning to
start with scabs, the workers de-
cided to send several truckloads of
there for large line to
keep the plant closed.
The contract rejected by the
was the work Of the Labor
Relations Board of Washington,
and through the efforts Of chair
men of the textile Labor Board,
5quires, and Shene-man who we're
'ent to Paterson. The Paterson
News in an editorial already on