The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1936-01-17
N. ]. WPA MEN
WIN WAGE RISE.
Officials Back Down IN
Face of a General
Strike
Bv FELIX GIORDANO

NEWARK, N. J.-WPA work
er. in the Newark district have |
ton q 10 per cent increase in
wages, from $50 to $60.5O month, /
beginning from January 2, 1886.
This increase was due primarl-
" to the organizational activity
Of the Association for Adequate
Folief. Newark section Of the n.
u. L., which was the only organ
ia7tion to call the workers to a
giant mass meeting which unan-
imouslv endorsed the demands for
wage increases, lower working
hours, and recognition of the
worker organization and COM
mittees.
The demands, presented to Mr..
Lewis, district administrator,
brought forth the usual answer
that they would be kept in mind.
Tired of Promises
But the workers, who had or
ganized to get results, were not
Satisfied with vague promises that
bound the administration to ex-
actlv nothing. Dissatis faction
spread among them, which was
heightened by the knowledge that
in Pennsylvania and in New HorF
the two bordering states, wage
increases had been obtained.
The mood of the workers wa
taking shape and found express
ion in the widespread response tina
the idea of STRIKE obtained o.
the various projects.
Local Strikes
On a number of projects, sma
local strikes occurred, in prepars
tion for the general strike of a
project workers, which was bein
prepared by the Association tc
ADEQUATE Relief, and for whlc
all the workers were gettlIl
ready. 90.
~ that the sudden decision to naI
c. out a 10 percent increase is to
NJ understood. For undoubtedly Il
as WPA officials, both local, al
he state. were worried by the tire
of an impending strike, and all e
publicity that such a tremendo
n strike, involving close to 700
!. persons in this district, wou
" have inevitably received.
l.. Authorities Take Revenge
But the authorities would not
Is forced to grant a raise in wac
a without at least attempting
take their revenge. This they trl
bv firing a number of the mt
las militant workers without prevlC
at advice or warning for no meas
except that they carried on org
hi national work on their propect.
ers. be sure, this was not the oftiC
reason, but anyone with one
- could have ssen it, and smelled
an a mile away. :.
ON This claim was further confil
20 ed indirectly by Mr.. Michael {
90 don, district labor manager, W
Sie he stated to a committee rel
BAG senting the Association which "
to protest the firing of the
.od and demand their reinstatem
. So . that one of the fired men
ooot "thereatened" to carry on orga
~ ational work on any other pro
he might have been assigned
The Association immedla
,oh took up the fight for the
9%" men, charging discrimination
az demanding reinstatement OF
,til men on the projects and pay
has time lost. They have in the
few days been reassigned to
iects, while the appeal is pen
AZ in the state office of the WP
AM Another aspect of the stru
A1 LIZ that the administration is c.
7 IL ing on against the Associate
=, ~ ~ to be found in the arrests
AND to date) of members OF the I
o1r citation who are guilty OF org
O Dgm ing WPA workers. The arr
AK SI were Thomas Morans, Jack
-ENE Felix Giordano and VictorsoI
Continued on page four