The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-05-22
Continued from Page y

they have spent hundreds of thou
sands of dollars for industrial police,
spy systems and all kinds Of so
called welfare schemes, to keep lis
away from q real workingmen's
union that will fight in our interests.
The A. A. Leaders No Strike Policy
Despite this, thousands have
Joined the Steel and Metal Workers
Industrial Union and have, through
over so strikes in the past two years,
won increases in wages and better
conditions in many important mills.
The S. M. w. I. U. has shown in
action the road to better conditions
and higher wages. Other thousands
of steel workers have Joined the
Amalgamated Association, expecting
that the officials of this A. F. of L,
union would lead them in a fight for
better conditions, but the top official
dom Of the A. A., true to their tradi-
tions and policies of friendship with
the employers, have refued to fight.
When the rank and file of the A.
A. decided to fight over the heads
of the officialdom, as in Weirton and
Clarion, the International officials,
together with the ~ r. A. Labor
Board, openly betrayed the strike
and sent the workers back into the
mills without gaining their demands
S. M. w. /. U. Calls for Unity
The rank and file of the A. A., and
/ some of the honest local leaders
have begun to revolt against such
officials and against the no-strike
policy of the A. F. cf L. In their
1 last convention in Pittsburgh, they
have decided to fight for better con-
ditions and more wages over the
heads Of the International officials
The Steel and Metal Workers In
dustrial Union aims to unite thu
members of the A. A. and the UNI
organized for the coming strike Of
all steel workers in the industry
This policy of the S. M. w. I, U. has
already had It's effect in influencing
the rank and file of the A. A. t.
fight for militant class struggle
program.
This was expressed at the recent
A. A. convention, where the dele
gates, over the head of the A, A
leadership, decided to fight for thu
following demands:
1.-The 6-hOur day, S-dsy week;
2. S10O an hour minimum wage
for common labor, other trades to
receive increased wages in proper
ton; 3. For abolition Of the diff
ferential between the North and
the South; 4. For equal rights for
Negro workers; s. For recognition
Of the union, and the recognition
of the mill and department COM
mittees to adjust grievances; 6.
For Unemployment Insurance Bill
Fl. r. 1898, now before Congress.
The 8. M. w. I. U. welcomes this
action. expressing the sentiments Of
the rank and file Of the A. A. and
pledges full support and united &C.
ton for the realization of these
demands.
Tighe Drops Demands
We warn all steel workers, how.
ever, not TO depend on the decisions
of the convention alone, for already
the Tighe-Leonard machine has be.
gun to knife the decisions Of the
convention They have sent to tht
A. A, lodges forms for presentation
of demands on May 81, calling only
for recognition of the union and moi
mentioning the economic demand;
adopted by the convention. This !;
a continuation of their action al
the convention where they fought
against all proposals for strike &C.
ton, and proposed instead arbitra.
ton and support for the Wagner.
Connery Bill, intended to outlaw al
strikes.
They are doing everything in
their power to defeat this strike
even before it starts. The leaders
of the opposition in the AmaIga-
mated Association, who show
signs of fighting against the Of
ficaldom and in the interests of
the steel workers, must show this
in action by insisting that the
demands presented to the bosses
shall be the full set of demands
adopted by the convention. Also
they must insist that the workers
themselves through broad elected
rank and file committee shall
participate in carrying on all ne
gotiati0ns and that there be es-
tahlished the united action of the
workers of the A. A. and the S. M.
w. 7. U. together with the unor-
ganized.
The opposition leaders must breal
openly with the Tighe-Leonard ma
chine. Only the opposition leader:
who will accept and fight for such
a policy will be fighting in the in.
tereStS of the steel workers.
We appeal to all the members O
the A. A. to be on guard for theil
own interests and for the interests
of the rest of the steel workers.
The Steel and Metal Workers In.
dustrial Union has throughout it,
existence explained to the workers
J that only through their own organi.