The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-15
Automobile Bosses
ManeuYer to Halt
Strike of Workers
tCoatinued from Page u

cut in hours viii actually cut the
weekly wages for them. The four
shift system, involving q six-hour
day and six days in a week, means
further intensif1cation Of the slave
driving speed-up system and elimi-
nation Of the 30-minute lunch and
rest period. Auto magnates say
nothing about the bonus system. In
view Of the fact that a large part
of the wages of a majority of the
workers is determined by this cheat
ing system, reduced hours will either
cut pay or grind more production
out Of the workers through greater
speed-up.
Excludes Die Makers
So-calIed wage increases exclude
tool and diemakers, also workers in
body and parts shops, such as Briggs
and Murray Body, which are among
the slave holes in the industry.
The Ford increase" still leaves
workers at the 1915 wage level and
an average of $40 a week below the
level at General Motors, Chrysler
and Hudson.
All auto companies, backed by the
merit" clause in the MIRA. code,
are standing pat against trade
unions, hoping to keep the workers
shackled to the company unions by
these Concessions"
Work Of Auto Workers Union
The maneuvers of the auto manu-
facturers follow on the heels of
strikes in Toledo, Racine, Kenosha
and Milwaukee and particularly de-
partment strikes in Detroit, and the
open organization Of workers into
the Auto Workers Union and other
organizations. During the last week
the A.WU. spread over 10000 leaf
lets throughout plants, which were
enthusiastically received, and $1,000
copies of the Auto Workers News.
New locals were also established in
all big plants. In other places
workers have joined the A. F. of L.
and the Mechanics Educational So
ciety, whose leaders are working
with the MIRA. to smash the strike
movement. The A.W.U. has adopted
a program of demands and sent a
delegation representing several
shops to Washington.
The Ford increase followed strikes
Monday in the spring and upset de-
partment and rolling mill. Men
stopped work and demanded an in
crease. They returned only after a
promise by Martin, vice. president of
the Ford Company, that wages
would be raised the following day.
The first reaction of the workers to
the Ford announcement has been
that the S. minimum does not meet
the increased living costs nor COM
pensate for the health wrecking
speed-up system which they know
will now be intensified.
The A.WU. is issuing leaf1et
to the Detroit plants exposing the
maneuvers of the manufacturers
calling on the men to carry on the
fight for the S35 minimum wage, for
a 30-hour week, an end to speed
up, real trade union organization,
dissolution of the company unions,
for relief to unemployed and I'M
employment insurance.
The leafiet calls on the workers to
set up committees for united &C
ton in departments and shops, APP
pealing to A. F. of L., MES. and
A.W.U. workers and unorganized
to join together and prepare for
strike to win their demands. The
leafet also points out they can ex-
pect no help from Washington in
establishing real trade unions, wip-
ing out speed-up and in winning
wage increases to meet rising living
costs.
The local press reports on Collins
stand at the hearings show that the
A. F. of L. leaders are falling in
with maneuvers of the manufac-
turers by laying low on the wage
question, speed-up, and by propos-
ing a series of steps which would
avoid the issue of trade union or
ganization coming to a head at a
moment when the workers are ready
to strike for it. At the same time,
Matthew Smith, General Secretary
of the MES, has also lent hand
to the manufacturers to stifle the
strike sentiment by stating in a tele-
gram to the Labor Board: we feel
that widespread dislocation of au-
tomobile industry at this time would
be q national calamity and severe
handicap to the Presidents Re-
covery Program We hope your
Board can avert this tragedy by ar
ranging an amicable settlement"
The A.W.U. is taking measures to
intensity its work Of organizing auto
workers into its ranks and building
united front for strike action.