The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-11-24
BY r. r. HUDSON

The rising struggle Of the marine
workers against the slave conditions
Of the ship owners was reflected last
year in large number Of small
struggles, ship strikes, the coal boat
strike and unemployed struggles
which assumed mass character in
the period since last May. This
period has seen the Norfolk and
Gulf longshore strikes, the general
marine strike Of the Pacific inyoly-
ing all crafts in the industry and
climaxed by the San Francisco gen
eral strike, the recent seam en- S
strike in the East as well as a re-
cent growth of the unemployed sea-
mems struggles which have become
national in character. All of these
strikes are characterized by the ten
denotes to become industrial strikes:
by the united action Of the mem
bership of various unions; and by
a tremendous solidarity of the I'M
employed workers, who not only
participated in and supported these
strikes but in many cases displayed
much initiative in organizing them.
1t should also be emphasized that
twice during the past six months
possibilities for a general national
marine strike existed which che ship
owners were only able to avert be-
cause of the insufficient strength
and unity of the workers and the
intensified ike-breaking activities
Of the government and A. F. of l..
leaders. The present situation, in
the face of betrayals, delays and the
beginnings of a new offensive by
the ship owners Is one of growing
discomfort amongst the workers
with the consequent possibilities Of
even greater and more sharp class
battles developing in the future.
The Results of the Strikes
The West Coast longshoremen
have won number of important
concessions such as the 6-hour day,
30-hour week, an increase in wages,
union recognition and joint control
of hiring halls. These concessions
are direct result of their strong
organization, and mighty strike
under q militant rank and file lead
ership. A complete victory was not
registered here because of the strike
breaking activities Of the A. F. of
L., especially in refusing to spread
the strike to the East and their be-
trayal Of the San Francisco general
strike. The recently concluded East
Coast agreement of the Interna-
tionsl Longshoremen's Association
does not contain the same conces-
sions as the West Coast men re-
ceived because there was no organ
lied rank and file opposition in the
East, and Ryan managed to main
tain control of the situation, pre-
vented a strike and put over his
sell-out agreement on the long
shoremen.
What is the situation among the
seamen? On the West Coast the Ma
tional Longshoremen's Board has
been conducting an election for over
three months and there has been
no announcements of the results
yet. There have been SO many ex-
tensions of the elections" that
even the IS.U. officials have been
forced to admit that it is being
done in order to permit all the
scabs to vote and company unions
to be organized. Likewise the first
steps in negotiating or arbitrating
the seamen's demands have not
even been taken and now three
months after the end of an S4-day
coastwise strike, the conditions and
wages of the West Coast .seamen
are baSically the same as last spring.
On the East Coast where the ship
owners agreed to negotiate with the
I.S.U. leaders in order to prevent a
srtike Oct. 9th under the leadership
of the Marine Workers Industrial
Union. There is the same story.
After month and twenty days of
negotiating no agreement has
been reached and there is every
sign that efforts will be made to
try and drag these proceedings out
for long time.
Government and A. F. of L. Leaders
Main StrikebreakerS
Direct intervention Of the gov
eminent. mass terror, arrests and
fascist raids on union halls COM
bined with the trescherous A. F. of
L. officials. were the main means
employed to end the West Coast
strike and force the workers to ac-
cept arbitration. The ship owners
also owe their main thanks to the
government, ably aided by the I.S.U.
and LILA. leaders, for engineering
the truce that betrayed the East
Coast seamen and longshoremen. A
clear understanding of the events
leading up to and following the
East Coast seamen's strike is nee
essary in order to understand the
present situation, the relationship
of forces and the perspective.
During the West Coast strike the
I.SU. leaders sabotaged every effort
to pull out the East Coast on strike.
Making use Of this strike breaking.
and pointing out the danger Of q
strike" I.S.U. officials tried to Sc
cure recognition for their services
but met with no response from the
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