The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-04-28
The Forgotten Men Of
The Furniture Industry
In the BerkSIlires Revolt

was this policy, coupled with the
bad conditions in the shop, that
led to the strike in the o. w. Seibert
plant on Feb. 10. The strike call
resulted in a 100 per cent walkout.
The demands were for a 30 per cent
increase in wages, recognition of the
union, and improved sanitary con-
ditions.
For the first four weeks of the
strike every attempt by the COM
pany to employ scabs was effec-
lively prevented by a militant mass
picket-line. On the fourth week in
the strike the company applied for
and got an injunction.
Immediately, on the suggestion Of
the militant workers in the union,
an open membership meeting was
called to which some 1900 re-
sponded. At this meeting a motion
was made and carried that two
day general sympathetic strike be
declared against the injunctions Of
the o. w. Seibert plant. Next NOR
ming this resulted in approximately
1000 workers streaming out Of the
factories and on to the picket-line.
Many of the timid leaders Of the
union became frightened and over
whelmed by this mass response, they
actually attempted to prevent the
walkout in some factories. One
young worker who was arrested for
distributing leaflets was released inn
mediately without bail when sons
500 or 600 workers marched to the
police station in protest. This &C
ton was repeated when the case
came to court, resulting in the
judges placing the case on file.
Not a scab entered the shop. The
bosses in Gardner were so much
frightened by this mass upsurge of
the furniture workers that in one
shop, Randsalls, so as to prevent a
Walkout, they gave the workers a
wage increase of from 5 to Is per
cent. The Florence Stove, a shop
employing between 800 and 500, took
vote of the workers on a COM
pany union proposition, promising
wage increase. This resulted in
the company announcing a 2/3 vote
in favor of the company union.
The general sympathetic strike
lasted from Thursday, March 8, un-
til the following Monday morning.
Here the union officials made Sc
rious mistake in not Immediately
raising with the workers the de-
mands for a general wage increase,
for improved conditions and recog-
milton of the union. On the return
of the workers on Monday morning
the companies Immediately started
blacklist campaign.
At the time of the mass walkout
of the workers on the picket line,
Axel Bachman, president of the
union, rendered his resignation as a
protest against the violation of the
injunction, at which time he at
tackled the militant elements that
were responsible for this splendid
demonstration of solidarity. The
workers, not recognizing the sig
nificance Of this act, foolishly re-
fused to accept his resignation in
spite of the fact that they rejected
his anti-m.ss picketing policy.
Then Mr.. Charles G. Wood, fed
eral conciliator, was sent for and
rushed to Gardner to break this
strike and to prevent it from
spreading TO other shops in Gardner
and the surrounding towns. He i'm
mediately arranged conference
where, after 10-hour session, 9 out
of II strike and union representa-
tives signed an arbitration agree
ment as basis for settling the
strike. One of the union officials,
Ted Akin, and one of the strikers
refused to sign this document; while
Leslie Richards, the union organ
izer, signed it. Under the pressure
of the workers, between midnite and
the next days strike meeting,
Richards changed his mind.
At this strike meeting, Friday,
March Is, Bachman came out open
ly for settling the strike on the
basis of this instrument drawn up
by Wood, 1t provided for the TAX
ing back of 80 per cent of the work.
ers Immediately and the other 10
per cent when the employer had
work for them, which obviously
meant the blRckliSting of the most
militant strike leaders. It further
provided that arbitration should
proceed on departmental basis,
which meant that the employer
could give a few cents wage in
crease to key individuals in the
shops, thus preparing the way to
divide the workers and destroy the
union. At this meeting a motion
was carried to postpone the vote
on the settlement till the next day
because of the small attendance.
That afternoon Bachman was seen
by the workers in conference with
representatives of the company; and
labor company representatives were
sent to the homes of the workers
to take vote on the strike break
ing agreement.
Sunday morning George Roewer,
Socialist Party lawyer from Boston,
went to Gardner. He, with Bach
man, held conferences with the
Seibert Company which resulted in
their coming back with an agree
ment that promised per cent in
crease in wages, recognition of the
union and arbitration of the bal
ance of the 80 per cent.
At the meeting on Sunday after
noon Gorge Roewer urged the
workers to accept this Us basis
for settlement and promised them
that he, as arbitrator for the union
with Charles c. Wood as neutral"
arbitrator, would bet any of the
strikers the price of an automobile
that he would get 80 per cent as
result of any such arbitration.