The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-01-21
NRA DOWNFALL
KEY TO DISPUTE
Stronger Union Formed
Then, Leading to Strike
Oct. TO-.

Times Special
NEW ALBANY, Jan. 21.-Arbi-
tration, parades, walkouts and
minor brawls that we're shuff1ed in
day by day following the ending of
NRA have brought the steel CLEAN
of bayonets to shirt workers of
Floyd and Clark Counties.
MIRA ended for the shirt workers
in the factories of M. Fine & Sons
Co., Inc, Jeffersonville and New
Albany, Oct. 10. 1885. With its
cessation the formation of strong
er garment makers union brought
strike and yesterdays street
brawls resulted in injury for three
persons and the failing of II other
picketS, sympathizers and union
workers.
Up to October, 1885, the Fine fac
tories maintained the NRA wage
scale of $13 weekly minimum de-
spite other garment factories low
ering wages, company officials con-
tend.
w. J. Gressert, Jeffersonville plant
superintendent, who was in the
thick of yesterdays rioting, says,
And Cur going off of the NRA
scale, after others had long ago
taken the step, precipitated the
trouble"
Walked Out Oct. 10
The day-to-day march of plant
workers and the plants into martial
law under the seal of Gov. McNutt
reads as follows:
Oct. 10, 1935-Three hundred en-
ployes walked out on a strike
Union leaders charged the strike
was a lockout Wage reductions be-
low the old NRA scale, failure to
recognize the United Garment
Workers of America, increase from
a 36-hour week to a 45-hour week,
was termed by union leaders as the
cause. Parades were held in both
Jacksonville and New Albany.
Oct. 11-Local 189 of the United
Garment Workers was organized.
Three hundred joined. Fine COM
pany officials, in turn, declared 700
attended a mass meeting in one of
the plants and accepted a wage
cut which would have a minimum of
$11 weekly. Workers protested that
they could earn but So weekly.
New Albany Workers Join
Striking Jeffersonville workers
urged New Albany plant workers TO
follow their steps. Rumors were
current that the Fine company
planned to move the smallest of its
New Albany plants to a Southern
city.
Oct. 16-Shirt workers in the
New Albany plants left their spin
oles to join Jacksonville plant
workers on strike. Mayor j. G.
Hauswald, New Albany, refused to
take sides in the labor controversy
He promised police protection to
New Albany plants. Union leaders
claimed membership of 800.
Dec. 10-A news story from Vicks-
burg, Miss, currooorating rumorS,
disclosed plans of the Fine company
to move one of its New Albany fac
tories to that city. The company
admitted the ste -y's veracity.
Street Brawls Reported
Dec. 12-Frank E. Walsh, inter-
national organizer of the United
Garments Workers, charged that
reports that the Fine factories
would be moved were mere gestures"
He declared the plants would open
as union factories or not reopen.
Street brawls between union and
non-union workers were reported to
police He cautioned the business
men not to NEEDLE in union affairs
and praised Mayor Hauswald Of
New Albany for attempting to effect
strike settlement. Civic organ
izations joined in efforts to mediate
the strike in both Jeffersonvile and
New Albany.
Dec. 20-Two hundred citizens
and former employees of the plant
were said to have signed petition
requesting that the New Albany
plants be reopened
Jan. Mayor Allen w. Jacobs,
Jacksonville, joined in attempts to