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From The Militant, Vol. VI No. 38, 5 August 1933, pp. 1 & 4.
Transcribed & marked up by Einde O’ Callaghan for the Encyclopaedia of Trotskyism On-Line (ETOL).
A spirit of militancy pervades the upholsterers who are in their second week of strike. Over fifty shops, large and small, have already responded to the call issued a week ago, Thursday by local 76 of the American Federation of Labor. The demands are for the 30 hour week and the basic minimum wage of $1.40 per hour. The manufacturers association have failed to bring the strikers back into the shops with promises to live up to the code, especially after the proposed conditions of the code were made public (44 hour week and 34¢ per hour). A roar of laughter went up from the men when this was read off by Brother Moskowitz, chairman of the strike committee. Code or no code, the men are in no mood to be tricked into any condition’s below those demanded by the strike. Every day new shops are pulled. The notoriously scabby Trade shop on Long Island, the backbone of the open shoppers, came down 100%. With the determination the men are now showing the strike is bound to win.
In the midst of the solid spirit of the men, however, is to be found that apathy which is characteristic of men who are coming into the union and into the strike for the first time. It is easier to rely upon leaders than to take active responsibility yourself. Too much work and responsibility is being shoved upon a few individual at the top. As a result, the struck shops do not meet to consider the particular plans of their shop. The daily general strike meeting is not sufficient. The particular problems of the individual shops cannot be taken up there. For example – the “farming out” of work by Lewittes shop to a two by four dump, which threatens to demoralize the men of that shop, could have been avoided if handled by the shop committee. Also a closer tab should be kept by the shop committees on the location and activity of the men, so that at any time the union could put its finger on any sore spot.
We consider it our duty to express our opinion on the question of pulling signed shops during a general strike. The general strike takes precedence over all such agreements. Strikers do not understand why those union men who called them on strike, themselves go back to work on the basis of the old agreement, and not on the basis of the strike demands. The bosses always break agreements when it is to their advantage to do so. Maison Art, for example, introduced piece work into their shop in direct violation of the agreement signed last September with the union. Greenpoint and others all violated the agreement by paying single time instead of time and a half for overtime. A general strike of the trade in all cases takes precedence over extent contracts. No work should, be produced in these shops.
The Industrial Union, with the calling of the general strike, has adopted an entirely new set of tactics. Knowing that the overwhelming sentiment of the men is for going into the A.F. of L., they have adopted the policy of “helping” the strike, under the slogan of “unity with the rank and file”. In view of the cool reception that their strike demands got from the strikers, they changed them from $1 an hour and the 40 hour week to $1.15 an hour and the 35 hour week. In this respect they are still lagging behind the A.F.L. The excuse of not knowing what
the general strike demands would be, no longer avails them. Their is no reason, except Stalinist disregard tor the interests of the strike, to explain why they did not immediately adopt the strike demands of the majority. Workers are indignant and enraged at what appears to them to be an open bid to the bosses on the part of the Industrial union for settlement on the basis of scab conditions.
And in this connection, we must note the ominous significance of the complete boycott of this strike in the Communist party press. Can this mean that the Party and the TUUL intends to ignore a mass strike simply because it is not under their control? Possibly, since this is not the first strike that has been ignored by the Daily Worker, and major ones at that. But more probably the reason can be found in that they have not yet recovered from the confusion into which they were thrown by the striking upholsterers who voted with their feet to support the A.F. of L.
Now, the members of the Industrial union, who in some respects represent the cream of the industry, have it as their duty to be among the masses of the trade, who are now moving into the ranks of local 76. Just as before the split in 1930, the Left wing can now carry on a much more effective fight for their point of view within the mass union, where they should constitute themselves as the Left wing, the nourishing leaven to the entire movement, leading it in the direction of class struggle and militancy. Especially now, after the mass of strikers have spoken, it is your duty to come back en masse – reintegrate yourselves into the main body of the upholsterers, local 76, in New York and similarly in other cities. Demand of your leaders to do likewise.
We call on you men in the strike to close your ranks and fight for the realization of the full demands of the strike. You have every opportunity now, if you put your hearts into it, to deal the bosses’ association a crushing blow, and to raise your conditions with one mighty sweep from the miserable status it is now into one of decency, with more leisure to develop yourselves towards a greater measure of control over the conditions of your lives. Fight in solidarity and you will win!
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