Montana labor news., 1935-08-29
WOOD RIVER CENTRAL
LABOR UNION

a - -
WOOD RIVER CENTRAL
LABOR UNION
June %, 1885
To All Affiliated Local Unions
and All Central Labor Councils.
Dear Sirs and Brothers:
For about six weeks, Local No. 81,
United Leather Workers international
Union have been locked out by their
principal employer, The Wood River
Tannery OF The international Shoe
Company at Hartford, Illinois.
The Leather Workers have been, in
our estimation, a conservative group
satisfied with small gains and gradual
advantages for their organization, and
not hard to get along with.
They organized the Workers in the
Wood River Tannery early in 1888 and
spent more than a year in securing re-
cognition from the International Shoe
Company, as the collective bargaining
agency for its employees.
The international Shoe Company
having always and in all places where
it operates, displade an inherent hat
red for organized Labor, were not cas-
lily pursuaded to enter into any kind OF
understanding until the Leather Work
ers took the case before the Regional
Labor Relations Board and pushed
their case there, whereupon certain
articles of understanding were arrived
at and written into a Memorandum Of
Understanding which was then signed
by the authorized representatives OF
both parties.
Both parties agreed that the case
before the Regional Labor Board would
be held in allegiance when this Memo
randum OF Understanding was entered
into.
This condition remained satisfac-
tory until the rumors got into the air
contemplating a decision by the Sup
RENE Court which would invalidate or
handicap the National Recovery Act.
When this rumor began to show signs
Of fact, the International Shoe Com
pany began to hedge on their agreement
as the first matter which pointed a way
to violate the classified seniority OF
its employees, especially il it present
ed an opportunity to discriminate ag-
ainst members of the Union, particul-
arly active members.
The Leather Workers finally REBEL
ed when they we're unable to hold the
Employer to his agreement, and issued
a statement that by a certain hour on
a certain day unless the conditions
were complied with, they would strike.
One hour before that fixed time, In
~ternational Shoe Company paid all OF
their employees off and locked-up.
The Leather Workers Immediately
set up a picket line and picket head
quarters. Everything has been peace
Iful and law-abiding, even though sew
eral times the Shoe Company have re-
quested all Of their Employees to re-
turn to work at the Company's terms,
none have returned and the Plant still
awaits the Company's compliance with
terms that they agreed upon.
Prior to the lockout, for several
months, The International Shoe Com
pany had employed a private detective
agency to spy upon their employees
both at the Tannery and at their hom-
es, and particularly around their meet
ings and other activities. Some Of the
members have been arrested on sus-
picion and other spurious charges to
harrass them and to intimidate them
while pursuing their lawful rights.
Organized Labor in this district does
not intend to see these men and wo-
men beaten to earth. We do not ex-
pect to see this Tannery resume oper-
ations until it fulfills its terms OF agree
ment with its employees, which are ex-
~ceptionally reasonable.
The workers have not requested in
creased wages, they have not requested
a change In hours; they have only in
sisted upon a seniority by classified
Ition or division, to prevail in lay-offs
and unemployment, SO that the Empl-
over can not pluck out the members
lof the Union promiscuously at their
own pleasure and destroy their or
ganization.
To protect these honest principles
they will fight relentlessly and stay
out indefinitely.
The Central Labor Assembly OF the
Wood River District conducted a COM
plete investigation Of the Workers case
and conditions and at their meeting OF
June 18th, 1885, voted unanimously
with delegates OF seventeen local UNI
ions present, to declare the Internation-
al Shoe Company UNFAIR and ia
put them, with all their factories and
products, on the
1--WE DO NOT PATRONIZE LIST
for all fair dealing persons, including
all Laboring men, women and theil