AKRON RUBBER WORKERS WIN THEIR FOUR WEEKS' STRIKE
Akron Rubber Workers Win Their Four Weeks' Strike AKRON, 0.—The vigorous fourweek strike of 1,100 workers of the General Tire and Rubber Co. plant here has just been settled. The strikers...
...Copy to General Strike Committee, Central Labor Hall, San Francisco, Cal...
...No worker will be permitted to go back to work until the question of the raise is settled...
...Let him return to the cams of the employers wherefrom hi came...
...Attorney Edwin Brouse, self-styled "disinterested citixen," who framed the constitution for the company union of the Columbia Chemical Co., Barberton, called a meeting of the General strikers "to see just how many strikers want to remain on strike...
...Trucks carrying Scab merchants* eaaaot move freca their places bacaaie of the solid band* of angry workers surrounding them...
...Brouse had an audience of a few "loyal" workers until about 1000 strikers marched in and took over the meeting...
...It is one of the strangest strikes I have ever Men...
...The Enterprise workers are asking union...
...In order to distract our attention from the problems in New York, they refer us to some fact finding commission which is to investigate at this late date whether we are actually in need...
...About eight weeks ago we quarreled with Wolinsky and his aides about the demands we were to make on the employers—whether we were to ask for 80 or 36 hours, a ten or twenty percent increase...
...Barr to improve our code it of very little real significance...
...are also on strike and are picketing the plant...
...Drive him out from our ranks...
...The strikers asked recognition of their union, which at present contains about 96 percent of all workers employed...
...All he can bring is more trouble...
...Negotiations have been carried on for a long time but the company has refused to arbitrate...
...Cnm Owr Sam* Day «d Look of Our S»Hk«.' RIGHT under my office window, the Caldwell Lighting Fixture workers are carrying on a strike...
...We don't believe one word that Wolinsky and hit' lieutenants say about their "greitf victory...
...In the statement about the sapposed victory they also admit that the employers are still fightinf against the recommendations of Mr, Barn and that these recommendations have as yet to be approved by the code authority and the NRA administration...
...Most of them are fairly civil — they know something ahout pay-cuts, too—but they "no savee...
...On behalf of luggage workers of New York, Newai'i and Philadelphia, wc protest vigorously against employment of troops to combat workers intent upon securing the right to union recognition...
...Joint Board, Suit Case, Bag & Portfolio Makers' Union...
...The original Caldwell, now dead, was a great pal of Evelyn • Thaw'n boy friend, Stanford White...
...In the brief time since this local has been reorganised and readmitted to the Amalgamated, it has succeeded in obtaining Several raises for its members...
...Another strike now ni progress in Akron is at the Enterprise Man...
...According to M. Bernstein, manager of the union, manufacturers refusing to negotiate wHl -not be able to operate...
...recognition, seniority, and an increase in wages of 10 cents per hour...
...The cost of living is constantly ising...
...Anyway, come over some afternoon, any afternoon at about 8:30, if you want to see a choice section of the city's finest getting ready to go to battle...
...What became of these demands...
...j But to Mr...
...The local has its ewa^mnapWy ment insurance fund and paid out its first insurance benefits to unemployed members last Monday...
...Did we at least get these demands or any part of them...
...Workers of other trades ire continuously Improving their conditions, but due to our great leader we must starve and suffer...
...The Enterprise plant ia being picketed, but the company has...
...What are the actual facts about the great victory we obtained through Wolinsky...
...ufacturing Co., makers of Pfiueger fishing tackle...
...Usually a strike, particularly in this neighborhood, is quite a lively affair...
...The workers at the Robinson Clay Products Co...
...I did rind out, though, through my own private channels, that the heads of the Caldwell concern arc big shots, and very friendly with Police Commissioner O'Ryan and Mayor LaGUardin...
...Wolinsky it is verj important to widely publicize hit bogus victory...
...G. W, K. WASHABLE KNEEPANTS *ACT KAtSES WAGES The Washable Kneepants and Novelty Workers' UnknvJLocal 169 of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, reports an agreement with the majority of the utsatatketorers in the ' Industry, conceding increases in wages...
...And yet, this strike of only 150 men or so has been blessed with the largest and mdst war-like display of police power this feverish neighborhood has ever seen...
...William O'Neil, president of the company, has refused to meet the union's committee, saying...
...They tell us now to go back to work on )he old conditions, which means at Present—considering the rise in the :ost of living since last year— worse conditions than we were able to obtain last pear without the aid >f any adviser...
...on Friday, July 13, his resignation followed, and by Saturday, the next day, the Wolinsky clique, including our two main officials, had already perfected plans to "draft" the great leader as adviser to the union...
...The union was satisfied to advance the lesser demands as proposed by Wolinsky...
...We told you Wolinsky was a great leader...
...He advised us to be "practical" and demand only what we could get...
...Yet' this code was unanimously rejectee1 by a monster membership meeting at Cooper Union...
...I've been trying to get the low-down from the cops themselves...
...Oui code is still the worst in all the other needle trades...
...In the short period tmff Wolinsky has been with us, he hai proved he is a past master in the art of bluffing, but that he is % picayune leader seeking to make i career for himself at the expensi of the pocketbook workers...
...The very heaven* rain intelligent beer bottles...
...I. Chatcuff is administrator of the fund...
...New York, Newark and Phlla...
...Calculated to entrench his shaky position in the' union, his victory was publicized In order to induce the workers nof to accept his lake resignation...
...i But the lighting fixture workers are a quiet, dignified crowd and don't go in for shenanigins of that kind...
...It has also succeeded in almost completely organising the industry, which was completely demoralized and 80% non-union less than two years ago...
...The clause ol $18 a week for serai-skilled workers was originally included in the code subject to enforcement...
...that the workers do not really have a union and that the majority prefer a company Union...
...No wonder the police captain is so hot and bothered over this strike...
...Now you see we were right...
...The Anti-Wolinsky Group Call for Strong, Clean Union TTHE following statement has ¦ been issued by the United AntiWolinsky Committee of the Pocketbook Workers' Union, with which the union's Socialist League is affiliated: The messenger hoys of Wolinsky, who at present occupies the key offices in our union, made statements in the press about the great "victory" they scored at the last code hearings in Washington...
...In the mjidst of the cheering and shouting "the great leader" has sent in a statement about his supposed resignation to the press...
...1 Sisters and brothers, don't per> nit yourself to be fooled by Mr, Wottasky...
...The recommendation of Mr...
...He finally signed up...
...Strings of radio cars, mounted police, squads of police in military formation, in addition to the private flatfeet \\ o hold up the building all day...
...O'Neil had been trying to mold public opinion, grossly misrepresenting the demands of the strikers over the local radio station...
...Wolinsky's agents are running wild in the market amongst the workers telling everybody, "Look what Wolinsky accomplished...
...Until about ten days ago, when sympathetic workers in their trade and other trades and the members of the Young People's Socialist League joined them in the afternoon picketing, it would be hard to know a strike was going on...
...On Thursday, July 12, his "victory" was broadcast...
...The Enterprise Co...
...Luggage Union Pledges All Aid To Frisco Strikers To Governor Merriam, Sacramento, Cal...
...Jur working conditions are bontinu»usly dwindling...
...offered the strikers a V/j cent per hour increase if they would go back to work, but the offer was refused...
...We obtained a victory, a great victory...
...This strike has been in progress for six weeks...
...He succeeded at that time in swaying the membership to approve his opinions...
...Use of troops in interests of open-shop employers reduces section 7-A to a mockery...
...Defiant workera line up and throw themselves ia the road before oncoMrang trucks...
...Mam pl*k«t lines of thott—nds of people are no novelty...
...been bringing in stock from local retail stores to fill out of town orders...
...We didn't get anything...
...Even if the statement of hie clique is true, it is still far from i real victory...
Vol. 17 • July 1934 • No. 78
