The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-05-03
The Longshoremen's Strike

ETGHTEEN THOUSAND longshoremen,
Il members of the International Long
sboremen's Association "a. F. of b.,
have gone on strike in Louisiana and Texas
gulf ports. The longshoremen of the en-
tire Atlantic coast are preparing immediate
strike action. Joseph P. Ryan, president
of the I. L. A. and adviser to the ship
ping branch of the NRA, in spite Of his utmost
efforts. could not hold down the sweeping STRIKE
movement throughout the country Oh ooCh LONG
shoremen and seamen.
Dozens of local strikes on dock and ships are
breaking out every week under the leadership OF
the fighting Marine Workers Industrial Union. Inc
C5vpsum Prince crew has just walked out IN New
York under the leadership of the MWIU. Inc
marine workers led by the Marine Workers InouS-
trial Union have won better wages and working
conditions on the coal boats in Boston IN more IMAM
40 strikes on the Munson lines, in lockers strikes
in St. Louis Baltimore, Philadelphia, ana oCher
ports on the Ore and other lines
The swelling strike wave takes place at the
moment when the Roosevelt government, through
General johnson and the N.R.A, is attempting 10
enforce the slave shipping code. This slave cooe
proposes to set a pauper wage scale of $50 month
for abe-bodied seamen to outlaw strikes, ana 10
make it impossible for the seamen to get pay for
overtime and sets up lower Jim Crow rates for
vessels in the inter-island trade of Hawaii and
Puerto Rico"
The shipping code proposed by the Roosevelt
government aims to drive thousands Of lOngshore-
men off the waterfront through the infamous
disqualification plan" which discriminates also
against foreign born and Negro longshoremen' NO
definite wage scale is provided for the longshore-
men, the plan being to hack down conditions
pecemeaI with the longshOremen split by ports,
C- Taxa rA
with strikes outlawed. While the Roosevelt gov
ernment for months has been maneuverng to
enforce this pauper code, the shipOwners have
been attempting to shove down wages put over
company unions and worsen conditions
The A. F. of L. leaders, notably Joseph Ryan
"a crafty Tammany leader, by the way, have
worked with the Roosevelt government to put over
his strikebreakng code, Ryan, as adviser to the
NRA, helped to draw up and is fighting for the
establishment of this pauper N.R.A. code Ryan
ecently forestaad the strike of 10000 Pacific Coast
Ieamen; he kept the Gulf longshoremen at work as
ong as he could, Ryan unable to prevent the
ongshore strike is now endeavoring to confine the
demands only to recognition Of the union.
The strike of thousands of longshoremen in Gulf
md Atlantic ports and the increase in local long
ihore and ship crew strikes under the leadership
If the NI.WIUu follows on the heels of the meet
ing Of the National Committee of the Marine Work
erS Industrial Union IN BalCmore on April IA anu
l5 The MWIU. has led the fight against the
strikebreakng slave code now hanging over the
heads of the seamen and longshoremen, which is
backed by Ryan.
The Marine Workers Industrial Union calls
upon all seamen and lOngshOremen, regardless of
their union afiliation, to at set up UNITY
ACTION COMMITTEES ON EVERY SHIP AND
DOCK, to prepare strike action and to prepare for
the united front national Unity Conference to be
held September l and in Baltimore
Longshoremenl Seamen! Do not allow the mis-