The CIO news., 1942-11-23
Organizing
Seen Task
To Aid War

bOSION, NOV. Zl-lne I'M
portance of linking organizing
drives with drives to speed the
war production program, and
the new problems presented under
the war program were stressed by
a number of delegates at the CIO
convention.
Instances of the progress made
during the past year in the face OF
all the difficulties were enumerated
by Allan S. Haywood. director Of
organization and newly elected
vice-president. who said that "the
CIO hasn't done so badly in the
last year in organizing workers.
1t can do better in the coming
year, and should do So"
Speaking on the resolution call
ing for an expansion of the CLOS
organizing efforts. Phil Van Gelder
of the Marine & Shipbuilding
Workers said that unless we can
bring within our organization the
thousands of workers in the
war industries, we will not be able
10 do the kind of a production job
or reach the peak of production
efficiency that is necessary to win
this war"
ACTION, NOT TALK
Richard Frankensteen OF the
United Automobile Workers in dis
cussing the problems unions must
face in view of the thousands OF
new workers being brought into
industry, warned against talking
"in platitudes about all the things
we ought to do and the millions
we are going to organize"
He called attention particular
Iy to the need Of organizing the
women workers now working In
aviation and other industries In
large numbers.
w. II. Crawford Of the Atlanta
CIO Council called for a stronger
organizing drive in the South, and
Henry Wenning Of the State,
County and Municipal Workers
told Of opposition encountered by
his union from anti-labor state
and local officials.
ALL SHOULD PITCH IN
Joe Curran. president Of the Ma
tional Maritime Union said that
more than beautiful speeches
were needed to really carry
through the organizing job and
urged the delegates and organizers
10 pitch into the drives we have
under way in the field"
Attention was called to the need
of forceful drives In the retail and
wholesale industry by Jack Altman
of the United Retail, Wholesale Il
Department Store Employees which
he said Is playing an important
part in our war effort"
Van A. Bittner drew on his years
of experience In the union move
ment to lay down some funda-
mental organizing principles.
"The unions that have been
really successful" he said. "are
the unions that have gone out
and done this Job Of organizing,
not spending too much time lay
ing plans and finding out what
somebody else Is going to do to
help them"
Eleanor Nelson Of the United
Federal Workers, speaking of the
obstacles that women face In. going
into unions, urged that they be
educated as to what the union
means and brought into progress
sive leadership in this country
during the war period"
DESCRIBES OIL DRIVE
Describing the drive of the Oil
Workers international Union TO or
ganize the petroleum industry,
Pres. o. A. Knight said "it is one
Of the remaining mass-production
industries in this nation that is un-
organized and is still dominated by
company unions"
Martin Wagner, president OF
the United Gas, Coke Il Chemi-
cal Workers. asked for the strong
support of the CIO for this new
ly-affiliated CIO national union,
both In its struggles against the
raids of District so, United Mine
yVneEarc and in &c lrfx-a. %