The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1935-01-05
BY GEORGE MORRIS

that united action between
longshoremen and truckmen
is illegal, and that longshore-
men cannot refuse to handle
freight trucked by non-union team
sters, is a very striking example to
show how serious the Injunction
menace has become to the labor
movement. The increased use Of
injunctions against labor has become
so serious in New York that a move
ment is now developing in the trade
unions for an anti-iniunction con-
ference.
1t is especially important to note
that present Gay injunctions are not
only to restrain strike activities, but
they likewise aim to dictate to the
workers the kind Of a union they
should choose, to protect company
unions and to prevent workers from
even fighting for concessions which
the MIRA. could not avoid granting
In addition to the waterfront in
junction which definitely tells the
workers that they are not permitted
to form a united front against the
employers, and would certainly ap-
ply If the workers would have an
industrial union, the following in
functions are in effect in New York
at the present time.
Other Injunctions
To the Fordham Laundry, against
the Laundry Workers Industrial
Union, affiliated with the T.UUL.
In this case the employer pleads
that he wants an injunction so he
can draw up an agreement with an
A. F. of L. union, whose officials are
cooperating to obtain it.
To the L. and H. Stern Briar
Pipe Company of Brooklyn against
the Independent Smoking Pipe Max
ers Union. The workers are re-
strained from strike activity, al
though they were upheld by the
Regional Labor Board,
To Ohrbach's Department Store
against the once Workers Union.
1t aims especially to prevent foot-
hold from being gained by a mill
tant union in this new field in
which there is an increasing will
ingness to organize.
To q number ,of theatres in the
Bronx and Brooklyn against the
Moving Picture Operators Union, Lo-
cal 306 "a. F. of - and aims es-
pecially to protect the Moving Pic
ture Operators Alliance, company
union, which is recognized by the
owners, for strikeoreaking purposes.
The five cases cited are only rep
resentative of the policy pursued
There are now hundreds of workers
awaiting trial for violating these
injunctions. The most vicious po-
lice terror was let loose to enforce
the writs.
Increased use of anti-labor in
functions is further proof. that the
MIRA. promises of the right to or
ganize and choose a union are to-
tally meaningless, In fact injunc-
tons today are supplements to
strengthen the anti-labor character
of the entire MIRA. scheme. In
the case of the cotton garment work
ers, an injunction was means of
stopping the order Of the NR.A. for
a 3e-hour week and 10 per cent
wage increase. A very common use
made of injunctions now is also to
stop pant elections to determine II
the workers want real union Or
a company union.
LaGuardia- Norris Bill Useless
or special interest is the fact that
the LaGuardia- Norris ani-injunc-
ton bill has proven absolutely worth
less. In the waterfront case, Senator
Burton K, Wheeler of Montana,
leader of the third party movement
and one of the sponsors OF the bill
was brought in by the union of1cisls
to argue their case. The only DEM
on1tretive action of workers organ
ICED by the officials Of the Interna-
ticnal Longshoremen's Association
and of the international Transfers
Union was reception at the PENN
sylvania station to greet the senator's
arrival. The idea instilled into the
minds of the workers is that this
big man" knows the bill from A
to z and will surely know how to
argue for It.
He undoubtedly furnished good al
guments to show that injunctions
against labor are Illegal But his
arguments did not mean thing
to the boss controlled courts. Liber-
ais OF his type serve as means Oh
rallying the masses to pin hopes on
legislative measures to defeat in
functions, with the result that after
years of campaigning and support
given to capitalist politicians on the
basis that they spcn-or anti-inlunc-
ton measures, the workers find that
the laws are not worth the paper
they are written on,
The workers of New York are
likewise getting an excellent exam
pie of the liberalism" Of MAYOR
LaGuardia. In addition to the bill
which bears his name being worth
less, the mayor sends his police tc
see to it that it remains worthless.
Attitude of A. F. of L. Leaders
What is the attitude Of the A. F,
of L. leadership toward this most
serious menace facing the trade
union movement? A Typical exam
pie is the waterfront case. Mo- enc
step was taken to arouse the mem
bership Of the lila. and the team
sters' union to the danger in the
injunction. Not even for a protest
movement.
But that wasn't all. The chief
strategy of Joseph Ryan. Interna-
tiona president Of the LILA. and
president of the New York Trades
and Ialanr Council was 10 nroYe to