Powerful Shoe Workers'Union Expected To Emerge from Unity Convention Dec. 11
TYLER, GUS
Powerful Shoe Workers'Union Expected To Emerge from Unity Convention Dec. 11 Hitherto Unable to Unite in Single Strong National Organization, Footgear Workers Believe Time Ripe for...
...The last remnants of the Boot and Shoe Workers' Union in New York, Local 190, were definitely separated from the parent body...
...The Communists were successful and the session ended in a riot...
...With them are: the Shoe Workers' Protective Union with an estimated membership of 80,000 in Newburyport, Marlboro, Lowell, Webster, Worcester, Milford, and Hudson, Mass...
...Union Wage Rate Defended On the wage rate proposed by the miners' union, Kennedy declared it Is the rate under present unio.i igreementa with rnthraclte operators...
...Struggle Continues Within French Socialist Party on ImmediateTactics THE dramatic struggle in the Socialist Party of France on the all-absorbing question of the most effective strategy and tactics for the working class during the present decay of capitalism goes en with undiminished vigor...
...11 Hitherto Unable to Unite in Single Strong National Organization, Footgear Workers Believe Time Ripe for Amalgamation By Got Tyler f\ECfcMBER U, 1933, the " opening day of a constitutional convention to be held in Boston for the amalgamation of the many shoe workers' unions, may well become an outstanding date in the history of American trade unionism...
...The recent strike wave which swept the country, however, also engulfed the shoe workers...
...organization of a less revolutionary character than the present leadership of Leon Blum and Paul Faure...
...Situation in New York The division that characterized the organization of the shoe workers throughout the country has been especially pronounced in New York City...
...Need for 30-Hour Week, $4.62 Pay Minimum, Urged by Mine Unionists WASHINGTON...
...10, in Haverhill,, in which shoe workers from Lowell, Lawrence, Newburyport, and Amesbury will also participate...
...Emphasis on the imperative need for the 6-hour day and 80-hour maximum work week, preservation of the preset.' $4.02 minimum wage rate per day for outside labor, prohibition of overtime work, prohibition of employment of boys under 18 in mines, and the maintenance of the check-off system of dues, were the features of the amendments to the anthracite operators' code urged by Thomas Kennedy, secretary-treasurer of the United Mine Workers of America, in the hearing on the code of fair competition for the anthracite Industry before the NRA...
...Augusta, Gardiner, Richmond, and Biddeford, Me...
...The Shoe and Leather Workers' Industrial Union, under Communist influence, capitalizing the discontent with the "Boot and Shoe," was able for a time to rally a good number of workers behind them...
...The once powerful Boot and Shoe Workers' Union, affiliated with the American Federation of Labor, has over a period of years been in a continual state of disintegration...
...Sporadic and spontaneous strikes spread, resulting in organized kettles and ultimately well founded anions...
...If sny appreciable number of wage earners are to be absorbed in the hard coal industry, a flat 30-hour week of six hours per day and five days per week will have to be the working week for this industry...
...This recommendation," Kennedy said, "also provides that all other' proper rates for outside classification* of labor and inside day and contract ates are to be contii ted as recognised and provided for under exist!, g agreements and decisions of the Board of Conciliation...
...The sentiment for unity was overwhelming...
...Its .decision will not be available here before next week...
...It was inevitable in the face of this that the workers should instinctively turn toward the amalgamation of the shoe Brians of the country into one' powerful body...
...in Stoneham, 128 for and 0 against...
...in Lowell, 720 for and 66 against Announcement of the ballot was followed by a half holiday and a parade of Lynn shoe workers in which there were representatives from Boston, Salem, and Chelsea...
...The multiplicity of unions and the friction among them made effective resistance on the part of the employees a sheer impossibility...
...Their intention is obviously the creation of a S.P...
...At present, however, the strong sentiment for amalgamation on the part of the rank and file in the union has forced the leadership to submit the question of breaking with the T.U.U.L...
...On the length of the work week, Kennedy said: "Our work-week proposal provides for a maximum of six hours per day, thirty hours per week...
...The code submitted by the United Mine Workers also demanded that no person under 18 years of age shall be employed Inside any mine or in hazardous occupations outside the mine, and that no person under 16 years shall be employed outside any mine or colliery...
...They had been misled, defeated, and disillusioned so often, that they preferred to accept their hapless fate rather than fall Into the hands of some new "leaders...
...Four main organisations will form the backbone of the amalgamated body...
...The number was immediately Increased by one—a former Communist...
...Of the 28 deputies who followed she "Right" lead in supporting the "Radical-Socialist" government of fialadier, 18 either were expelled from the party by the recent Sseeting of the All-Party Council Sr...
...Together with members of the Boot and Shoe, the National, and the Brotherhood, they issued a statement sharply criticising- the leadership of the Communist union for refusing to submit the call for unity to the rank and file of the union...
...The "Dissidents" are organizing lean Jaures clubs in many localities...
...4. Convention Prospects The desire for unity Is so strong among the shoe workers that unless sudden and surprising events should develop it may well be that all the important ahoe workers' unions in the country may affiliate with the amalgamated union...
...Until recently the Communists did everything in their power to stem the strong tide toward unity...
...Boston, Chelsea, Stoneham, and Lynn, Mass., is very active in promoting the movement toward unity...
...The only thing that would, achieve this definite purpose of the Recovery Act is the 30-hour week...
...The attempt upon the part of the national unions to divide the New York local into crafts, followed by the expulsion of the local, has caused the former members of the Boot and Shoe Workers' Union in New York to take an active interest in the movement toward amalgamation...
...It was generally accepted as traditional among shoe workers that they were incapable of organizing into a powerful united movement for the purpose of improving their conditions...
...Since the post-war period, the shoe workers in this country, either unorganized or organized in impotent splinter unions, have been left entirely unprotected before the merciless onslaughts of the employers...
...In passing, let it be noted that •enaudel and his "moderate" colBeer Parties Can't Fight Unionism, Bosses Find MILWAUKEE.—In an effort to •top the constantly growing wave •f unionism here, employers of laear are throwing beer parties for Jksir workers and attempting to ¦veigle them into joining company talons by this method...
...in Chelsea, 729 for and 2 against...
...In preparation for the convention, a demonstration is being arranged for Sunday, Dec...
...The ineffectiveness of the "Boot and Shoe" in organising and leading the workers created a fertile field for splinter unions and Communist propaganda...
...At a unity meeting held In Irving Plaza Hall on Tuesday, November 14th, the Communist union sent in its cohorts for the purpose of rejecting'unity and breaking up the meeting...
...The National Shoe Workers' Association with an estimated membership of approximately 20,000 in Brooklyn, N. Y...
...In the statement It is asked t "Is it true that the reason why the leaders of the Shoe Workers' Industrial Union do not submit this question of amalgamation to their members it that they know that at the coming amalgamation convention in Boston, which will be held on December 11th, only members of the union, not paid officials, can be elected as delegates...
...The Boston convention is being held not alone for the purpose of uniting the already organized workers (70,000), but also to launch a powerful drive for unionization which shall ultimately embrace some 1(0,000 workers throughout the country...
...The attempt of Vandervelde and other leaders of world Socialism to settle the strife without a surgical operation has not yet achieved any visible success...
...Pontine and Belleville, 111., and Milwaukee, Wis...
...Plant operation should be restricted to the maximum 30 hour pser week...
...voluntarily resigned...
...In Lynn the vote was 4,048 for and 2 against...
...it At the same time, there appeared a significant rank and file movement within the Communist union demanding real unity...
...In several of the New England shoe centers the decision to amalgamate was greeted as an occasion for public rejoicing...
...Renaudel, Dea, Marquet and their ten colleagues of the "Right" have sailed a national conference of their followers...
...It also provides that overtime shall be prohibited, and that if any reasonable amount of overtime is required above the maximum hours a new personnel of employees shall be taken on for such work, and that no new employees shall be hired in the industry until all former employees, now unemployed, have been given jobs...
...The crisis and unemployment added to the hours of work and subtracted from the wages of the highly exploited shoe workers...
...Derry, Manchester, Keene, Epping, and Nashua, N. H...
...In fact, recent developments in New York have created a situation whereby the former local of the Boot and Shoe Workers' Union and sections of the Shoe and Leather Workers' Industrial Union, until now outside the movement for amalgamation, will probably fall into line for a unified organization...
...the Independent Shoe Workers' Union of Salem with over 2,000 members...
...This means that wherever chiselling has occurred, notwithstanding the efforts of the United Mine Workers of America and Its loyal members to prevent It, such operators will be compelled and required both under thescode and under the agreements to restore proper rates and practices where such have not been carried out...
...leagues, who lost their party standing for supporting the "Radical" ministry of Daladier, refuted to participate in the new "Radical" governments of Sarraut and Chautemps...
...in Salem, 718 for and 6 against...
...Auburn, Me...
...When in May of last year the Communists launched their policy of "united front," they called a meeting of New York shoe workers at which as many as six different unions were present Though some of the unions were ready to break national affiliations in order to rally united support behind the 16,000 beaten shoe workers of New York, the Communists refused to discuss any "united front" that was not synonomous with affiliation with the Trade Union Unity League, a Communist organization...
...This resignation left the party with 117 ¦embers in the French Chamber Sf Deputies...
...Strenuous efforts to have the Brotherhood of Shoe Workers and Allied Craftsmen of Brockton with about 11,000 members affiliate with the amalgam ted union have won sympathy in the rank and file of the union...
...St Louis, Cape, Girardea, and Sullivan, Mo...
...To place this recommendation in the code would be an added source of strength In protecting the wage and condition standards of the men under the agreement and would eliminate unfair competitive advantage which chiselling operators or employers would have ever employers who are complying with the terms of the agreement" Attacks 48-Hour Week The 48-hour week proposed by the anthracite operators would absorb none of the unemployed miners, Kennedy told the Recovery Administration...
...The Communist further discredited themselves by a suicidally managed strike that plagued the workers for over ten weeks and then sent them back to the shops beaten and broken...
...to a referendum to be held Dec...
...As a result, many of the workers, now disillusioned in the promises of the Communists, are ripe for a new and unified organisation In New York...
Vol. 16 • December 1933 • No. 23
