Norman Thomas Urges Action for Norman Thomas Urges Action for Clean and Aggressive Unionism
Norman Thomas Urges Action for Clean and Aggressive Unionism May 9, 1934 Norman Thomas, Socialist national leader, has sent the following letter referring to the pocketbook union and the...
...Nicholas Ave,, on May 80, at 8:30...
...He was supposed to know the employers and to be a good business man...
...When the rank-and-file members of the union heard that a meeting of the executive committee had been called, over five hundred of them gathered outside the office of the United Hebrew Trades at 175 East Broadway...
...Meanwhile, serious charges against Heller were brought to the Labor Committee of the Socialist Party by business agents and other union members...
...Nevertheless other unions— notably one in Perth Amboy—a* that time, it is alleged, chargea that Sherman when in the employ of the Paramount as personnel director had fought his own union in that city...
...This wasblenied by the league and party rccoVvh^corruborate the statement that Klejnman is not a Socialist Patty member...
...The avalanche started about three weeks ago, wher^ Heller's charges of incompetence against Samuel Wolchak, union manager, were backed up by the union's executive committee and were supposed to be submitted to a meeting of the membership...
...By Doris H. Preisler ST...
...Last Monday, a meeting of the executive committee of Local 338 was called, together with a committee of the United Hebrew Trades, consisting of Finestone, Tigel and Guskin...
...UNION GRATEFUL TO LABOR COMMITTEE The following letter has been received by the Labor Committee from the Celluloid, Catalin and Galalith Workers' Union, Local 19,238: "Jack Altman, Secretary, Labor Committee, S.P...
...The organization of the group in a measure supplements the local work so successfully launched by Rebel Arts through its dance, drama and musical sections, in stimulating the cultural expression of the Socialist and labor movement...
...Fraternally yours, NORMAN THOMAS...
...Here is a union of something like 1800 members...
...Organizations desiring performances of the Traveling Labor Theatre are urged to communicate with Hanna Geiger, 7 East 15th Street...
...The workers then hired the auditorium in the Forward Building and elected a committee of twenty-five to appear before their executive committee and pre»ent demands for immediate reinstatement of the business agents, calling of a membership meeting and the impeachment of Samuel Heller from his position as...
...When Louis Hendin, chairman of the Labor Committee of the party, who had been invited to attend, arrived, these workers broke into cheers and applause...
...that the resignation of Samuel Heller as chairman of the finance committee be accepted pending investigation of charges against him...
...chairman of the finance committee...
...and that a vigorous compaign would be conducted to enlist all pocketbook workers who are Socialist Party members in the league...
...The .show will consist of thre labor plays, a labor puppet show, a mass recitation and group singing...
...Dear Comrades: I wish to be of any assistance that I can to your committee in two labor union matters of much consequence...
...The group which is said to be the first in the American Socialist movement to tour the country presenting propaganda plays before workers, will give its show before trade unions, unemployed organizations, college and liberal clubs and party branches...
...LOUIS.—"You're making a good start, but it will be a long battle and you must build a strong, permanent organization," Leo Krzycki, national chairman of the Socialist Party, told Chevrolet and Fisher Body plant employees at a mass meeting...
...They support the president and chief organizer who in his combined job gets the appallingly lai-Re salary of $20,000 a year, a salary which completely removes him from the group which he is supposed to serve...
...Unlike Waliniky there were no eharges ayainst him when he left the union...
...The two business agents were advised by the Labor Committee to go on working until an executive committee or membership meeting considered their resignations...
...that the Socialist League would continue to carry on, through regular legitimate trade union channels, the fight' against the placing of Ossip Walinsky in a position of trust and power in the union, and that every effort would be made to enlighten and educate fellow unionists as to the danger to the union in reinstating a man who had proved' treacherous to •their 'interests in the past...
...that the two remaining members of the finance committee work under the supervision of Brother Tigel fcf Hie United Hebrew Trades...
...Attention was caled to the misstatement contained in, the socalled Labor Union Sec'tion of the Communist daily, to the effect .that Charles Kleinmann, administration member who had supported the renegade's return, was a Socialist...
...that a committee from the labor movement take up the charges against Heller and investigate all other charges made and bring in suggestions for improving the union...
...that a\n executive committee, consisting^ (of Comrades Meyer, Matlin, Shore, Welch, Laderman, Kubinsky and Pasick, should carry on the work of the league...
...I think the matter should be carried up to President Green and possibly to the executive council of the AFoL...
...Committee of Labor to Probe Affairs of Local 308 Following a series of critical events in Local 308, Retail Grocery Clerks' Union, a committee of the labor movement will investigate charges brought against Samuel Heller, chairman of the finance committee, by members of the anion, will probe other charges and will bring in suggestions for aiding and improving the union...
...This charge did not prevent Mr...
...These members pay from 12 to 20 per cent in dues and assessments...
...If they do not have formal | jurisdiction, at least they have in this case a chance to issue a condemnation of these tactics which ought to be of influence throughout the labor movement...
...It is further alleged that he has spent something like a million dollars in his comparatively short administration...
...We assure you that our membership is greatly appreciative of your efforts in helping us fight for a better life...
...Sherman's election, but again the fact that he was elected raises some questions as to the nature of labor standards...
...His record was known when he was elected president of Local 306 and was even used as an argument for him...
...So great has been the interest roused by the league's fight for a clean and militant union that a number of unionists tried to get into the meeting who were not party members...
...Norman Thomas Urges Action for Clean and Aggressive Unionism May 9, 1934 Norman Thomas, Socialist national leader, has sent the following letter referring to the pocketbook union and the movie operators' union situations to the Labor Committee of the party in New York: To the Labor Committee, New York Local, Socialist Party...
...Without such a membership meeting, an outside committee consisting of Denise, Eastern representative of the International union, and two other labor men looked into the matter, overruled the decision and decided that an accountant should be installed to investigate the condition of the union before final action should be taken...
...Sherman, like Walinsky, was a man who had gone over from the service of the union to the service of the employers...
...The strike was called off after a complete shut-down of two weeks, when the company agreed to rehire employees according to their seniority and the number of their dependents...
...Cultural activity is doubly important in that it combines entertainment with propaganda and education...
...It is idle to talk of class solidarity or the class struggle or the victory of labor if we cannot get among workers a very different set of standards from those apparent from by what has happened in the Walinsky case...
...2. I want specifically to endorse the efforts of Socialists within Local 306 of the Motion Picture Operators Union to complete the job of housecleaning which was begun but emphatically was net finished when Kaplan was removed from office...
...The union is holding a dance and entertainment at the Hotel •Claridge ballroom Friday night (May 18) to raise funds for organization purposes...
...We wish, to express our gratitude for the willingness of your committee to assist us in our struggle in unionizing the unorganized workers in our industry, supplying us with speakers and helping us in every way possible...
...Fraternally, Henry Yasner, Chairman of Executive Committee...
...There is a legitimate rank and file interest that should be built up and increased in the methods under which the union is conducted...
...BUILD YOUR UNION AND KEEP IT STRONG...
...M. Meyerson, Secretary...
...They were courteously asked to retire...
...These resignations, without going to the executive committee or to the membership, were immediately accepted by the officials of the union and the outside committee...
...In criticizing the present administration of the union, we need have no sympathy whatever with any remnants of the Kaplan folowing that may be left or with any ambitious and self serving elements in the union which attacked Sherman only to get power for j themselves...
...Now many of his expenditures were doubtless necessitated to clear up conditions left by his predecessor, but he has made a very unsatisfactory explanation, so far as I can make out, of the nature of these particular expenditures and of their continuance at the present scale...
...After a great deal of discussion the executive committee adopted the following proposals upon the recommendation of the outside committee: (1) That the business agents be immediately reinstated...
...Sec NorDOVEK, N. H.—No strike will be called in the Pacific and other textile mills here, members of the Hover Independent Text.Je Workers Union voting by a small majority .not to go, out as originally planned...
...TRAVELING LABOR THEATRE WILL PERFORM MAY 30 The premiere performance of the Traveling Labor Theatre, sponsored by the Young People's Socialist League, will be given at the Washington Heights Labor Center, 1130 St...
...Already it is charged that the company is chiseling on its agreement...
...When they reported for work, however, on the same day, they were not allowed to go on the job and learned that in their brief absence Heller had been appointed business agent for Brooklyn and Wolchak business agent for the Bronx—and all this despite the fact that Manager Wolchak had been charged with incompetence and his removal recommended by the executive committee and that Heller had been charged with very grave offenses against union ethics in sworn affidavits lodged with the Labor Committee...
...It is not at present growing in strength and power...
...1. It is a serious blow to all labor standards to have the pocketbook workers' union restore Ossip Walinsky to any sort of power...
...In order to bring the entire situation to the attention of the whole membership, the two elected business agents, Hochman and Weisberg, offered their resignations for the consideration of the membership...
...The original grievance was that 18 men had not been taken back after the last seasonal lay-off, because of their union activities...
...An increase B wages will be demanded, howei.W...
...Not only has he not been cleared from the definite and unanimous j judgement against him given by the trial committee of which I was chairman some years ago, but since then, according to the testimony of Comrade Hendin, chairman of your committee, he openly allied himself withxthe bosses in direct and specific action to defeat the workers...
...He urged them to keep up the strength of their union, their only protection in spite of NRA machinery...
...POCKETBOOK UNION MEMBERS DECIDE TO PUSH FIGHT At a meeting Wednesday night of the Socialist League of the Pocketbook Workers' Union (party members who are members of the union), the following decisions were arrived at by a vote of the members after full discussion: That any Socialist Party membed who had not carried out the decisions previously made by the league would be held to strict accountability...
...The entire situation in the union requires further investigation, and every possible effort to strengthen the rank and file in their fight to make their organization a genuine (and aggressive labor union and not a racket...
Vol. 17 • May 1934 • No. 20
