Montana labor news., 1939-07-20
History Of WPA Strike
In Silver Bow County
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the following motion. Moved and
seconded that all WPA household
aid or nurses be permitted to re-
main on the job. This motion was
carried with a feeling among the
delegates that the services rendered
by these household aid nurses in
families where sickness prevailed
should be left to remain at their
posts Of duty. Realizing that the
operation Of the COMMODITY stores
was Of the utmost importance to
many who received their meager
commodities, a motion prevailed that
those employees should also remain
at their post of duty. Considering
the fact that the women Of the sew
ing room and many other morgan
lied people employed upon projects
of many different kinds and de-
scriptions, were looking to the or
gained movement for guidance and
support. A motion prevailed that
no craft OF union 60 back to work
until every man and woman who
walked off the job were restored to
their former status or job whether
organized or unorganized.
Realizing the Importance of main
tanning the closest relationship be-
tween the organized and morgan
lied, a contact committee of three
was appointed to maintain this re-
lationship. The committee consisted
of Ed Mason, Herb Wurst and Leslie
Levingood.
On Monday, July II, at 8 p. M, a
meeting was arranged in the old
high school auditorium by organized
labor to give an account to the I'M
organized of what had been done
in the protest movement. The in
terest of the community was dem
onstrated by the fact that standing
room either in the gallery or else
where was at a premium. AT the
close Of the meeting the unorganized
were given an opportunity to set
up their own organization repre-
senting various groups in order that
they might be in touch with the
rest of the organized movement.
It was first decided to wire Presi-
dent William Green of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, and Mr..
John Lewis, president of the Com
mittee for Industrial Organization.
and Mr.. F. C. Whitney, president of
the Railway Brotherhoods, urging
them to set a deadline for a nation
wide general strike unless the Wood
rum appropriation measure was
amended removing Objectionable
features of the bill.
The following wire was sent:
Fifteen thousand organized work
ers Of Butte, Montana, feel that un-
less the Woodrum appropriation law
is amended to the satisfaction of
organized labor, a general nation
wide strike should be called in pro-
test" To date no reply has been
received. AS further steps in their
portest to have the Woodrum mea-
sure amended, it is recommended
to all local unions that they pur-
chase penny postcards and all mem
bers write and mail them to con-
gressmen and senator's urging re-
vision Of the measure.
In consideration of State Admin
istrator Mr.. Joseph Parker's fair,
frank and friendly attitude since his
arrival from the conference with
Col. Harrington in Chicago, his re-
quest that the usual and regular
Waterman be left at the post Of duty
to safeguard and care for govern
ment property was granted by the
Emergency Committee and in re-
turn he granted a further reschedul-
ing of all projects in order that the
five day absence penalty clause be-
gin as of Wednesday, July 10.
AT a meeting of the Emergency
Council Committee at the Carpen-
tiers hall Tuesday evening, July 10,
they recommended that all local
unions either hold regular or special
meetings between now and Saturday
evening at $3.50 to ballot upon the