Peabody Leather Workers Win After Remarkable Strike
Lewis, Alfred Bakar
By Alfred Bakar Lewis Peabody Leather Workers Win After Remarkable Strike BOSTON.—The strike of 7000 workers in the leather manufacturing district of Peabody, Mass., has been brought to a...
...1 The Central Trades snd Labor Council of Buffalo at Its lsst meet-»* declined la sand delegates to •s Free Tom Mponey Congress at **«eag<., and instructed its secretary to write Tom Mooney "conveying oor sympathetic atti'uUe...
...The chairman, however, ruled that all affiliated local unions are to heed the instructions ordered of the Green letter, stating, it was "just too bad" if delegates had already been elected...
...The meeting was well attended by some 200 delegates, including about 15 women...
...For all industries wages fell 4.5 per cent Employment in Chicago manufacturing industries dropped 3 per cent, state manufacturing 2.4 per cent...
...Toward the end of the discuss-em the chairman announced that he will include the amendment in the motion...
...Application for a quick settlement already has been made to the union by thirty manufacturers, acting as individuals, employing approximately t,000 operatives...
...Relief for the destitute families I was organized efficiently...
...He proposed an amendment to the effect that a full week's pay be given for a 30-hour week...
...The union secured in return recognition by the employers, increases in pay that average about 80 per cent, discharge of all imported strikebreakers, and a clause to the effect that if the union ia forced to call a strike against any particular shop or shops, the other employers will not manufacture leather for the account of the struck shops...
...The Executive Committee report included, among other things, an endorsement of Mayor O'Brien's Charter Revision recommendations, approval of President Roosevelt's 30-hour week program and condemned ch«i Continental Congress of Reconduction...
...The strikers, under the very able leadership of Jos...
...The viewpoints expressed in the discussion varied from "a step at a time" to "fundamental solutions" and showed that quite a large percentage of the delegates had progressive and radical viewpoints...
...All minor employees of the Connecticut Electric Service Company and its subsidiary, the Connecticut Light snd Power Company, have had their wages cut, though the company reports an Increase in profits of $112,000 during 1932 available for dividends...
...It will also extend Its organizaticn work to <ther leather plants, such as those in Camden, N. J., and Wilmington, Delaware...
...The flrement were affiliated at one time, but President Coolldge forced them to end the connection...
...Their re-I port in favor of the right of the workers to organise did much to line up public opinion for the strikers...
...But determined mass-picketing made strikebroak j ing so unpleasant that the employers could get very few scabs...
...A bill to increase the penalty for violations of the decrees in the minimum wage commission has been signed by the Governor of Massachusetts...
...These schemes will enable the members to have free access to non-residential day and week-end schools and occasional lectures at branch...
...Delegate Lefkowitz of the Teachers' L'r.ion in a stirring speech attacked the sincerity of the Administration at Washington, bating, he believed the chief purpose of the 30-hour bill was merely to divide the available work in the nation on the "share-work" plan, and so in itself was of little consequence in allaying unemployment...
...The only vote against it was Sen-' ator Buckman, Grundy henchman, i who killed old-age pensions...
...Reisberg asserted that unionization of the industry is imperative to rid it of the sweatshops and wage increases necessary in order to prevent shortened hours for becoming a mere "share-work" measure...
...It will give strength and determination to workers everywhere to resist wage cuts by strikes whenever necessary...
...Massidda, candidate for Congress in that district, demanded increased wa^,< ¦« ami recognition ot the union...
...Fred Gtia of the painters also protested Green's letter...
...to investigate claims of Delegate l.awsun of Painters' Uniop that Eblings Brewery employ non-union painters...
...The police used tear gas bombs against the mass pickets, but the workers ran away and then came right back again...
...itish Typographical Association and the Anthracite Miners' Union' of South Wales, England, have now arranged educational schemes with the National Council of Labor Colleges...
...In spite of the depression four new local unions of airplane mechanics have been organized, it 1 was announced at grand lodge J headquarters of the International Association of Machinists...
...Illinois employers made several slashes in wages and in employment during the month of March, according to the Illinois Department of Lsbor...
...A mass meeting of the workers |a the industry, the majority of them women and young girls, voted He strike at a May Day celebration in the Labor Institute, 810 Locust St...
...This is expected to be used as an argument to enforce the demand for a cut...
...Several , substantial checks were sent in by | , the Emergency Committee for i Strikers' Relief, of which Norman j Thomas is treasurer...
...Delegate Steinberger of the Bookkeepers' and Stenographers' Union defended the congress...
...Further confirmation Of the wage cut proposal comes from a Washington confidential news service, which reports that "railroads will probably succeed in •educing wages more than the present 10 per cent after midyear...
...Only 34 per cent of the workers have full-time jobs...
...Reports from France say that the campaign of French trade unionism in favor of the 40-hour week, against Fascism and in support of peace recently reached a climax in the holding of numerous meatings and demonstrations throughout the country...
...An additional 181,000 have only part-time work...
...The employers rejected compromises on the disputed points offered by David Dubinsky, international president of the union...
...F. of L. union...
...The union is pushing plans for 'irganiaation work and will tackle next one of the largest plants whose employees were formerly the best paid in the Peabody district and who failed to respond to the strike call...
...The institute and Grand Fraternity Hall, 1626 Arch St., will be headquarters for the strikers...
...With June 18 negotiations between railroad employers and anions ahead, the employers are planning for another 10 per cent slash...
...send letter of thanks to Mayor O'Brien for appointing Secretary Quinn of Central Trades to the Beer Board at $20 per session...
...Com-| rade MassMdnV salary during the ' ttike avernge« about $10 a week, i and the workers matched sacrifice with sacrifice in a struggle for a common ideal...
...This is one of a series of strikes by various trades making the same complaint...
...Bartenders reported organisation drive to unionize all beer emporiums, and woman delegate of Laundry Workers' Union objected to minimum wage law for women workers...
...The meetings were especially large In Marseilles, Bayonne, Nimes, Saint Nasalre, Lyons and Toulouse...
...Only a strong organization of the workers can abolish unfair methods of competition, sweatshop conditions and keep them abolished...
...The delegate of the Electrical Union reported favorable court decision in prevailing rate suit against New York City...
...By Alfred Bakar Lewis Peabody Leather Workers Win After Remarkable Strike BOSTON.—The strike of 7000 workers in the leather manufacturing district of Peabody, Mass., has been brought to a successful conclusion after five weeks of hard fought struggle...
...Final plans for the walkout were completed at a mass meeting of the strikers in the Labor Institute...
...The management wanted the workers to operate twenty-four looms each instead of twenty...
...The So- ' cialist locals In Massachusetts con- j tributed, the Workmen's' Circles j made donations, and the Workers' Cooperative Bakeries in Lynn and 1 Lawrence furnished bread for the price of flour, donating their labor and their overhead...
...Wages in building hit the low of 5.6 per cent and all payrolls 27.2 per cent The average for 1925 to 1927 being 100 per cent...
...Burgess Kubitsky of West Hazel-Ion, Pa., sentenced twelve members af Local No...
...This is seen by the railway officials' action in circularising large employers of labor in New York State to determine the extent at wage reductions in recent years...
...The manufacturers and the public are powerless to maintain proper and decent standards in the industry," he said...
...The discussion was participated in by some twenty delegates, most of whom supported ' the amendment...
...But since even arbitration, the traditional American method of settling disputes, was rejected, we were left with no alternative but to call the strike...
...Philadelphia Waist Makers Are Striking for Increases PHILADELPHIA.—The cttys • 5,000 dressmakers were ordered out on strike Tuesday...
...A strike of nearly 2,000 textile workers affiliated with the United Textile Workers' Union closed the Pequot Mills at Salem, Mass., said to be the only 100 per cent union cotton mill in the country...
...The | new unions are at Atlanta, Kansas 1 City.Chicago and Fort Worth...
...employees...
...One amendment gives firemen in the District the right to affiliate with organized labor, provided they have a non-strike clause In their charter...
...A committee of employers representing 25 of the market's 150 shops and employing 40 per cent of the Philadelphia waist, blouse and dressmakers, offered to establish the 44-hour week in their shops at yesterday's meeting with the anion but refused to consider wage Increases or unionisation of their shops...
...Thus a unionization is as beneficial and as desirable to legitimate employers and the community as it it to the workers...
...The recommendation of the executive board, indorsing the Roosevelt Administration 30-hour bill, .'•voked a discussion lasting an 'tout- and a half...
...i Unemployment in Philadelphia, Pa., was painted this week in the blackest figures of the depression...
...and best vii.es in his fight for bis libet-vy...
...jobs, representing 36 per cent of the employable population...
...and recognition of the union...
...The latest strike is by plasterers, who claim they ars asked to accept less than the standard wsge set by the government...
...reduction in hours from 64 "and longer" to 40 hours...
...The manufacturers also refused to submit the wage and organization issues to arbitration...
...to send letter of protest to many departments against the Government reducing working conditions in Brooklyn...
...He stated the crying need of immediate action to eope with the present situation involving privation and suffering of the 15,000,000 un employed and their dependents...
...481 of the Bakery aad Confectionary Workers' Union to serve two days in jail for doing picket duty in front of the Diska Stores there...
...This victory affects over 7.000 workers, and is the moat outstanding unltjin gain since the depression began...
...Finally, the union consented to drop the "Shoe" from its name, thus removing the bosses' fear that the leather workers might have a strike imposed on them by vote of the shoe workers...
...We are willing to meet the employers more than halfway," Reis-berg said last night...
...Among other matters, the following was also decided: to issue a monthly magazine...
...Wsge payment cuts totalling 10 2 per cent, while afeasa manufacturing slumped, aad total wage payments 8.2 per cent...
...The charter revision recommendation appeared to pass without any vomment, but when a communication from the A. F. of L. executive committee, signed by William Green, opposing the affiliation by any A.F.I,, organization with the Continental Congress was read, things began to happen...
...j The National Shoe and Leather j Workers' Association is a non-Communist but non-A...
...The demands of the workers are a M per cent increase in the present seals af from $6 to $10 a week...
...The appropriation bill for the District of Columbia passed the Senate Thursday, after amendments had been adopted...
...The city has 417,600 workers wuh- , out...
...fldenee among workers to whom | the gospel of trade union organization Is new and can secure labor ' support for relief as well...
...1 The employers tried to bribe them by offering an increase of 20'/, in wages if they would go back under open shop conditions, •at the workers even on the verge ' of stsrvatioa took the advice of j their leaders and steadily refuHed...
...The anti-yellow dog contract bill was passed by the Senate at Har-risburg, Pa., by a vote of 38-1...
...The ! bill has passed the House and will ! become law as soon as the Governor signs it...
...By order of the Federal Court la Toledo, Ohio, and at the suggestion of L. A. Miller, receiver for the Willys-Overland Co., bank-vnpt automobile manufacturing eoneem, a 20 per cent payment, segregating about f«0,000, was made to employees of the plant an wages due for the two weeks sading February 18...
...A citizens' committee was or-' ganized by Robert A. Bakeman, j a former Mayor of Peabody who distinguished himself by dismissing j a police chief six years ago be-| cause he arrested the state secrc-i tary of the Socialist Party for making an open-air speech in Peabody during the last weeks of the Saeco-Vanietti affair...
...The Waist and Dressmakers' Union Issued the call following the failure of last-minute attempts to avert the strike through com-aronuV settlements with the em-Moyers...
...The sturdy soli darity of the strikers behind their leaders made even the employers see that the union was controlled by the true representatives of the workers...
...mentioned the Roosevelt wage cuts of Federal employees, including 15% of lettercarriers and increased hours for Miss Perkins' Labor Dept...
...Delegate Kohn of the upholsterers supported the executive recommendation as did others who claimed they were good Democrats, including one who stated, "we must stand by the President...
...Strikes occasioned by the failure of sub-contractors to pay their men have been the principal factor in delaying the completion of th« United States Veterans' Hospital at Batavla, N. V., past due here, until June 1st, or later...
...Labor Here and There *|*HE Socialist and Labor Con-* ference on Unemployment will cooperate with the Socialist Party ia its Tag Day on May 20th and list, in order to raise enough funds to carry on agitation and propaganda for the 30-hour work week and unemployment insurance...
...The measure provides a fine of $800 for violation of the act, as against $50 fine, under the old law...
...The employers insisted it was "dominated by the radicals" (meaning us...
...The bosses tried importing-strike breakers...
...From May 15 of last year to the first of April, 58,500 full-time workers have been cast into the ranks of the totally idle, and 10,500 who had part-time jobs a year ago are totally jobless now...
...Central Trades Debates Roosevelt Administratioo An interesting meeting of the Central Trades and Labor Council took place May 4th, at Beethoven Hall...
...The bill is aimed at manufacturers who have opened shops paying sweatshop 1 ' wages during the last two years, * • • The S.!i...
...The picketing sentence was one of the outcomes of the anti-union campaign initiated by the management of the Spauld-sBg Baking Co., of Binghamton, N. Y., which has branch bakeries there and in Hazel ton, Shamokin, NorriRtown, Scranton and Wilkee-Barre...
...and Elias Bekberg, international vice-president and manager of the Philadelphia branch...
...In the large towns and industrial centers the meetings became public demonstrations in favor of pekce and aga'nst dictatorship...
...Even now, before the strike actually takes place, it is evident that tremendous inroads will be made against the sweatshop here...
...It also shows that determined and devoted leadership can inspire con...
Vol. 15 • May 1933 • No. 19
