The daily worker., 1935-01-12

Board Of the local. When elec-
tion5 for local officers took placs
last March, the rank and file Me-
gro nominees were re eiected on the
grounds that they were not two
years in the Union. TIL LEGAL hasn't
a single Negro business agent.
There are practically no Negro shop
chsirmen. This is also true of the
clerical help in the local.
The manner in which the Harlem
section meetings arc organized and
conducted is another outstanding
example. The Harlem section meet
ings ere organized in JIM Crow
manner, mostly Negro dressmakers
attend those meetings. The few
white dressmakers, mostly adher-
ents of the Left Wing rank and
file who attend these meetings are
made unwelcome by the officials who
are assigned to the Harlem section
and the couple of Negro women who
are closely aligned with the ruling
clique of the local. The manner
in which the meetings are con-
Quoted is purely white chauvinist.
The administration knows well
enough that the Negro dressmakers
have many grievances that they
would like to bring up at the meet
ingr. Economic grievances in the
shops and complaints against the
manner the Union officials take UP
their just complaints. To prevent
such e discussion the adininistrs-
tion usually arranges some lecturer
to come to the section meeting.
The business phase of the meeting
is quickly rushed over in order to
leave time for the lecturer. No one
can be opposed to educate the mem
bcr5 OF the Union, but why isn't it
possible to arrange these lectures
on special days? Again, if it is
the best procedure to arrange
these lectures on evenings when
regular business meetings are being
held, why then isn't the same pro-
cedure followed at the section meet
ings attended mainly by the white
dressmakers? The answer lies in
the white chauyinist and discrimi-
natory approach Of the administra-
tion towards our Negro sisters and
brothers.
How Do the Left Wing Rank and
Filerl Approach the Question
The Negro question exists in
every phase of the social, economic
and political life of this country.
The special exploitation of the Me-
gro toilers is deeply imbedded in
the very structure of American CAPT
talist society. The dress trade is
no exception to the rule. The dress
bosses, following the footsteps of
the Southern slave plantation own
ers, are doing everything to squeese
extra profits from the Negro dress
makers. In addition every effort is
made by the bosses to keep them
in a group by themselves, thus crc-
stin9 antagoni5m between the Ne
gro and white dressfnakers for the
purpose of undermining the condi-
tions of both. Once this question
is recognized there logically follow
concrete steps to be taken to de-
feat the purpose of the bosses. Some
OF the steps to be taken are as
follows:
/. An theological campaign
amongst the white members Of the
Union in order to mobilize them
in defense of the Negroes in the
shops.
NEGRO paid officers, Execu-
tive Board members and shop Of
GERS to be drawn in, which would
recognize their rights as strong
minority in the Local.
3.-The Union TO establish a
labor bureau, administered by a
rank and file committee, for the
purpose of preventing the employ
ment agencies from racketeering
upon the Negro dressmakers, and
the bosses from discriminating
against them.
4.-Pinkers, f1oorgirls and ship
ping boys to be included in the
agreement a living wage to be
established for them and the
Union to give them full protection.
Slower dues payment for the
minority crafts.
The above are only some of the
practical proposals for a starting
point. If a campaign to solve this
problem were started, the Negro
dressmakers themselves would bring
out many more suggestions based on
their grievances in the shops.
But, to seriously begin solving TIL
Negro problem i'll the dress trad
would require an administration
which realizes the problem. Un-
fortunately the present administers
ton, Zimmerman and his friends.
are not the ones that the Negro
dressmakerB can rely upon. This
will be done only when this aG-
ministration Is replaced BY a Lead
ership which recognizes and under
stands the problems OF the Negroes
In the dress trade. But regardless
OF who controls tho sdininistrati
OF the Local, the Left Wing rank
and filers stand upon the analysis
OF the Negro QUESTION as contained
in this article end we will continue
agitating and mobilizing both Ne
gro and white dressfflasers bshi1d
8 program which calls for firm ac-
ton In defense Of the interests of
the Negro mcmaers of our Union
and to establish complete solidarity
upon the basis Of fullest equality
between the Negro and white dress
makers. We consider this az one
OF our most important daily tasks.