The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-05-01
Only 1000 Men in Hell
Out of 8, 400
Strikers
Especial to the Daily Worker

CLEVELAND, O., April 80.
The Fisher Body workers
have been sent back to work,
sold out, in one of the slickest
betrayals ever engineered by
the 4. F. Of L. nisleaders. This was
the result OF a meeting Of Fisher
Body strikers called Sunday 4 pm
at the Moose Hall Auditorium, 1901
Walnut st.
The basic demands Of the strikers
were a 30 per cent increase in wages,
recognition Of the union, and a
closed shop. Not one Of these de-
mands were met.
The meetings was organized with
the intention Of sending the men
back to work Monday morning.
The main speaker was Richard
L. Byrd, Of the National Automobile
Labor Board, who preposterously
claims to represent Labor on the
Board. His speech was to prepare
the workers for the decision Of the
Board and the A. F. Of L. leader
ship to end the strike.
Don't Expect High Wages"
He described the negotiations with
Chas, Fisher and Knudsen Of Cen
eral Motors. He finally convinced
them, he said, that they must treat
with the A. F. Of L. because labor
was getting FESTIVE and would or
ganize in spite Of hell. He told them
The proper thing to do is to play
ball with the sane and sensible or
ganization "a. F. Of L. or one Of
these days you'll have to deal with
an organization which won't play
ball at all"
Interspersing his talk with senti-
mental protests Of his love for la
Dor, ne finally (nevously) came to
the point he had to put over. Cen
eral Motors would not negotiate
with the men while they were on
strike. Therefore the best thing to
do was to go back to work Monday
morning. Some Of you will think
that this is Just another stall" he
said, and the men shouted from the
floor, You bet your lifel"
He made grandiose promises Of
the fine benefits that would be had
from the Labor Board, if only the
men would get together and con-
slider the mutual interests of the
employers and the workers. He
warned the men not to expect high
wages, as this would force the COM
pany out Of business. Leave wages
to the board" he said.
He was followed by Brother Nc
Weeny, Cleveland A. F. Of L. or
ganizer, who has been busy the past
few weeks selling out strike after
strike. Claiming to be impartial,
he said that the men in st. Louis,
Pontiac, Flint, Detroit and other
General Motors towns had LETT
Cleveland Fisher Body in the Iurch
and therefore it was best to go to
work. He was met with some ap-
platlse and some boos.
Strike Already Called OFF
Brother Dillon, an experienced
labor faker, now operating in Flint,
Michigan, next took the floor. When
he said Some may think this is
sellout, but I think we have gained
the greatest victory obtained by la
Dor in forty years" this was too
much and he was greeted by a large
chorus of boos. When he asked,
DO look yellow" worker yelled
he did look yellow, and he took off
his glasses and challenged the
worker to come round the alley or
fight right there on the platform.
This the worker was perfectly will
ing to do, but Brother Dillon
changed his mind. One worker
asked if the A. F. of L. had been
recognized. Dillon said he consid-
cred the fact that the company was
willing to sit at the same board
across the table with representatives
Of the A. F. Of L. recognition.
The strike vote was taken by
closed ballot. Slips of paper were
handed out on which the men we're
to write either yes or no. There
were incidentally about 1000 men
in the hall out of 8,4O0 out on strike.
The chairman, President Miley, of
the Fisher Body local, announced
that the result would be given over
the radio. But the Cleveland news
papers were already informed that
the strike was called off before the
men even cast their ballots!