The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-05-23
Open Letter on.
Speed Up to.
Gen'I. Johnson.

Following is part of a letter sent
by mems neckwesr worker to
General johnson:
After the last strike which we
had in the Mems Neckwesr Trade.
which belongs to the big American
Federation of Labor union, the
manufacturers signed an agreement
for IS hours and also for limited
scale Of wages.
This trade consists. Of piece
work, that is to say, the workers get
paid for every dozen he or she
makes. 1t also consists Of season
work. Each season lasts not more
than six weeks. then six weeks slow;
then again six weeks busy. and so
on, all along the four seasons of the
year
Not long ago the union reduced
the workers prices on each dozen
to such an extent that even the
fastest worker cannot make $40
week, which is the limited scale at
present.
The manufacturers. having
fear that by such low prices the
workers will not be able to catch up
with the limited scale of wages are,
therefore, choosing the fastest
workers, and they are also speeding
them to such an extent that the
slow workers are disregarded en-
tirely: and in spite of the fact that
the slow workers are more skillful
and they are producing more quail
ity than quantity, they are continue
ally being discharged and are also
thrown out of the trade. standing
no chance Of getting any work at
ALL even in the future. Now, the
question arises; What is the slow
worker to do?
THE slow workers live in the
same economic system, where they
have to meet their expenses by
their earnings. But how in the
world will they pay their bills
rent bills, grocery bills and gas bills,
when they have no chance Of get
ting any work at all?
Therefore. it is a matter of great
Importance to control the speed as
well as the hours. And as long as
there is piece working system by
which the manufacturers are not
hindered from their profits. we
have the moral and iuridical rights
to demand it from them; that the
slow workers should be recognized
and considered as workers.
In my opinion, which I think is
the voicing Of the sentiment of all.
this can be possibly done, if the
NR.A. Administration will agree
to the following solution, which is:
that the MIA. is to standarolize
the amount of work each worker
is to produce, and not let the man
ufacturers do it. Because they do
not do justice to the workers nor to
the industry when they speed the
workers like slaves, causing all
kinds Of disease in the workers, and
also causing production and
competition in the industry,
"Of course, 1t is very hard prob
lem, but If the MIRA has sue
ceeded in controlling the hours.
there is no reason why the speed
should not be controlled as well.
The speed-system is a twin sister
to the long hours. producing the
same evils of over production in the
industry.
AS mentioned above, that all
this can be possibly done. and it is
only matter of time and effort.
And in order that this should
be accomplished well, the first
thing to do is: to establish an in
vestigating committee under the
strict control of the N.RA."
Editorial Note: The writer of this
letter correctly shows how the
manufacturers with the help of the
A. F. of L. leaders, utilize the N.R.A.
regulation of hours and wages to
increase the speed-up and elimi-
nate those workers from whom they
cannot squeeze sufficient profits.
And this is Just the purpose for
which the Roosevelt administration
established the NRA.: to help the
bosses increase their profits, at the
cost of the workers, under the guise
of regulating working hours and
wages"
An investigating committee un-
der the strict control of the N.R.A."
would not help matters because the
only thing the N.R.A. is out to con-
troll and to stop altogether is the
workers struggle against bad con-
ditions.
The only effective way to remedy
the conditions described in the
above correspondence is for the
rank and file workers to get to-
gether and put up an organized
fight against speed-up, wage cuts.
and firing. They should get in
touch with the A. F. OF L. Rank and
File Committee, Union Square.
WANTS TO HELP BUILD C. P.