, 1941-04-11

matedC, Local 7SS (Amalgamated).
GENERAL EDITORIAL COMMTTEE-Leo Kuhnle, Chair
man; Tom Rogers, Secretary; M. NJ Miniard, Kenneth Rhoades,
Tom Kennedy, Anthony Ambrose, Margaret ondre, Jack Fiske,
James Hack.
STRIKE
What is behind the present strikes
THE NEWSPAPERS TODAY are full of stories of strikes.
Hardly a day passes, but what the papers, or the movies,
or the radio, hurl the word STRIKE at us. Are there so
many strikes? What are these strikes for? What do they
mean to Dayton workers?
Let's look at the facts on the strike situation. According to
the figures Of the National Defence Advisory Comhtee, there were
far fewer strikes, involving fewer workers i'm 1910 than in either
1917 or 1897 The figures have not been substantially changed
for 1914.
The number of work days lost was very small, compared
to time lost through illness or accident. According to the
January, 1941, OUTLOOK, a publication of
the national Go, only ONErTENTH OF N DAY per
worker was lost in 1910 through strikes. A full FIVE DAYS
was lost due to injuries, and a full EIGHT DAYS was lost
through illness!
In other words, the REAL LOSS of work came through
injuries and ilness,-through the things that could have
been prevented through the reduction of speed-up, safety
devices, reasonable hours, higher wages, adequate medical
care, and so on, advocated by the CIO!
BUT WHAT ABOUT those strikes that have taken place?
Almost without exception, these strikes have been for i'm
proved wages and conditions, or for the Union recognition
that would bring improved wages and conditions.
In the case of the recent stoppage of the United Mine
Workers of America, CLIO, in the bituminous mines, wages
was the issue. In the international Harvester strike, wages
were the issue. In the international Harvester strike, wages
were fought to force reactionary and bullheaded employers
to accept the law of the land, and deal IN GOOD FAITH
with bona-fide unions.
These strikes have been attacked by the press, and to o
greater or lesser degree, pressure has been put On the strikers by
the Government A prime weapon Of employers the press and
rsacionary politicians, has been RED-BATTING. If you can't face
the issues honestly, if you haven't a good case-Cau it red, or
Csmnunbt, or foreign inspired! This accusation has been lodged
against Thousands Of ordinary American citizens o. strike. Il h&s
been thrown cut IN the hope Of stampeding the public md UNI
organized workers into IN nh.Iabor hysteria. I; Is % fase . d
in yiciouR
A look at the strikes that have been in progress, will
show that the strikers sought, and seek, only their American
rights. They asked only the recognition of their union that
10 the American way. They fight only for American living
standards. In their American fight, these workers have been
opposed by reacionary corporations, who have drawn huge
profits. As Americans, they have fought for A JUST SHARE
Of these profits!
In this fight, the strikers at Ford, at Bethlehem, at In
ternational Harvester, in the coal mines, have been fighting
FOR EACH ONE OF US. Our w wage levels, the con-
tinued progress of our own Union, our own freedom in col
lective bargaining, are at stake in each of these struggles;
for with the success of any one part of labor, each part is
strengthened.
This, and not the erGggerGtions, distortions, and red
batting Of the press, the radio, big-bnsiness employers and
their politician stooges, Is the true meaning in the current
critical strikes of the American labor movement