The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-16

(ContinHed from rage -
These workers are entering their
second week Of strike. The ma
jority Of the strikers are women.
The strikers told me that it was the
women who showed the greatest
initiative in calling the strike. The
plant is organized into federal A.
F. of L. local l5946. The leadership
here too is young for the most part
fiery, but inexperienced in the ways
Of meeting the A. F. Of L. bureau
Gratis.
A delegation Of strikers from the
company's porcelain plant in Wash
ington, New Jersey, came to the
strike meeting to pledge their unity
and solidarity Around $50 are on
strike in New Jersey.
Don't Want n. r. A.
I spoke to one Of the most active
strikers. It was a closed meeting,
but after showing my Daily Worker
credentials I was cordially admit
ted He told me that the employ
ers offered the men, especially the
skilled mechanics, an increase in
pay. The strike is for a 20 per cent
raise all along the line. The men
fatty refused.
"Whatll you do if the labor
board comes in?" / asked. I'VE
don't want them in" was the en-
phatic reply I'VE are fighting
our own battle. We don't want
anything to do with them"
Because of the great increase in
strikes here for union recognition,
the Manufacturers Association is
lining up solidly behind the bosses
of each struck shop, insisting on
the open shop. How the N. r. A.
is used to uphold this position of
the bosses is shown in the Under
wood company's reply to the work
ers' demands.
After promising the workers a 10
per cent wage increase, the Under
wood officials, in a special circular
issued to all the workers, says
THE company has complied anc
will continue TO comply with the
provisions Of the N. r. A. 80. Com
petent legal advice Undoubtedly the
competency of the Manufacturers
Association is to the effect that
any agreement to employ only mem
bers Of trade unions would be lille
gal under the N. r. A. The COM
pany cannot agree to do this"
In the aircraft strike, the presi-
dent of the independent local re-
vealed the strategy of the A. F. Of
L. top officials. They took him out
to dinner, he told the strikers, and
paid for it." They promised to sup
port the strike, telling him what g
splendid struggle they are putting
up. Then they pulled the cat out
of the bag. With the militant avia-
ton strike in Buffalo and Hartford
the A. F. of L. officials see great
pickings in bringing these workers
under the fold of a national avia-
ton union. This would ease the
worries of j. P. Morgan, who con-
trolls the aviation production indus
try, and the A. F. of L. official,
hope it would clip the militant
claws Of this young and fighting
union.
Union Has Majority
The Industrial Aircrafts Workers
of America, an industrial union, as
its name implies, was organized by
mschinists who split off from the
A. T. Of L. machinists union after
these worthless took $1,000 of the
mems money and tried to put q
crinp into their organization and
fighting spirit. Though organized
in the first week Of January, 1894
the union has the majority of the
1000 men organized; and the rest
are flocking in row.
Despite the fact that the Chance
Vought men have not been called
out, though President La Vista tolo
them to be ready for a hurried
walkout at any moment, the union
officials at the meeting declared
I'VE have our demands drawn up
They must sign on the dotted line
We will negotiate with them. But
we say this. One no settlement, al
no settlement. This is distinctly
understood
The aviation strikers are de-
manding: ~ Full union rccogni-
ton; ~ increase from the 30
cents an hour code minimum to
65 cents an hour, and from the
average of 90 cents for the higher
skilled workers to Sl05 an hour.
In the event of a cut in hours,
weekly wages to be adjusted to
remain the same. Special demands
are put forward for apprentices.
The white eollared workers, avi-
I alton engineers and craftsmen
approached the executive Of the
union to work out some forms Of
common action with the workers
/ An auxiliary Of these engineers anc
craftsmen is being discussed in or
der to involve them in the walkoui