Amalgamation/Chapter 4
CHAPTER IV.
The Amalgamation Movement
BY the time a movement gets to be a movement and has people boosting for it, it has traveled a long time unseen. For many years the workers have been clearing the ground for amalgamation, actually doing the preparatory work, by trying out another and less radical form of union affiliation, namely, federation. Seeing that conditions were ripe and over ripe for the inauguration of amalgamation, the Trade Union Educational League came along and made amalgamation the object of its first big drive. These League militants, who honeycomb the entire labor movement, report that the workers are ready for Amalgamation right now, if they could only get action on their International officials, who stand in the way of every new idea for fear it might explode under their seats and throw them back into the ranks of the working class.
Of course, it must not be understood by this that the officials are going permanently to block the way to Amalgamation. The movement is now being organized in every industry in the country including Canada; for, so far as the labor movement is concerned there is no boundary line between us and our brothers to the north. As unionists we are one nation, with one flag, one goal and one common enemy to conquer. The enemy has tried to separate us, but we still hold to our one union idea and Canada holds her place as one division of the proletarian army of North America.
The great stimulus to the movement is the breakdown and failure of the craft unions and the federations of craft unions. The federations have at times done good service by holding the unions together when making the demands upon the bosses. But on the whole they have failed in their mission to unite the craft unions, and now the demand for a better tie has been raised and the Trade Union Educational League answers with "Amalgamation."
The Railroad Industry
The movement for amalgamation is being given special attention by the railroad men whose recent sad experience in the shopmen's strike has been an eye opener to them and has quickened their minds to the crying need of the transportation industry. These railroad men have seen swept away at one fell swoop all that had taken them a quarter of a century to secure. The Railroad Labor Board, a body created by the Government to do the dirty work of the railroad companies, issued an order breaking down the conditions of toil on the roads and cutting the wages of the men; and the "Peoples" government issued an injunction to help put the dastardly ukase into effect. The Government came out boldly on the side of the railroads and said it would use all the power at its command to break down union conditions on the railroads and establish the "open shop."
The seven shopmen's unions struck against the order of the Board cutting their wages, increasing their hours at the will of the roads, making Sunday work single time, abolishing overtime and establishing piecework. The railroads fully expected the men to strike, but they had no that the strike would become general. They had not so far attacked the conditions of the train and engine men, and they knew the latter would not strike to aid the shopmen. Craft union experience told the companies that it was perfectly safe for them to let the shopmen strike if they wished, that the other unions would stand at their posts, and they did. Nine union stayed on their jobs and helped the companies lick the other seven. That's the sort of unionism we have on the railroads; it's the sort we have all along the line throughout all the industries, and it is the sort we will continue to have till we put over the amalgamation project.
All the trainmen knew the ugly position they were in. These men who took extra chances with their lives by operating defective rolling stock, knew that if they stepped down from their cabs and cabooses and folded their arms the shopmen would win mighty quick; and they knew further that the defeat of the shopmen would reflect upon their own conditions. They knew that they would be the next to be put to the sword. All this was perfectly plain to them but they couldn't do anything about it. They were not prepared for such an emergency. They belonged to nine different craft unions with nine reactionary sets of leaders. Under the conditions it was impossible to act.
Although organized 100 per cent the railroad unions were still powerless to defend the workers. They stand condemned as antiquated implements of war, absolutely powerless in the face of the centralized railroad dictatorship. The 16 railroad unions must be amalgamated into one powerful fighting machine in the near future, or the "open shop" will be established in every department of the service; and these disunited unions will be used as the principle means of bringing it about. The shrewd and brainy railroad masters will continue to play these 16 unions against each other like so many pawns on a chess board.
Amalgamation of the old unions is the only thing that is talked about as a remedy for the present deplorable railroad situation. The dual union idea is dead among railroad men. Nobody is thinking about organizing new unions. "I should be the first one to oppose any such program. The lessons of past experience warn against any such further attempt. The rank and file must insist upon, getting together and must furnish the impetus for such concentration and combination as are necessary to unite all the 'workers of a given industry within one compact and militant body," wrote Eugene V. Debs in a recent issue of The Labor Herald. As a leader of the defunct American Railway Union Brother Debs learned the futility of dualism. He is now a staunch supporter of the Trade Union Educational League and its program of Amalgamation.
To organize the movement for Amalgamation a conference was held in Chicago at which were present militants of all 16 unions. This conference issued a plan of Amalgamation and elected a committee to carry on the propaganda. The Railroad Amalgamation Advocate was established as the official organ of the Committee. The work of this Committee is being financed by voluntary subscriptions. Already the idea and plan has been endorsed by thousands of the local unions. Many local and system federations and two big International railway unions have adopted the plan. The idea is steadily gaining adherents and it is confidently expected that the railroad workers will be one of the first industrial groups of unions to close up their ranks and present a solid front to the enemy.
The Metal Trades
No industry in America is weaker from an organization standpoint than the metal trades. In this tremendous industrial division there are, according to the U. S. 1920 census, 4,476,137 workers employed. Of these not more than are organized. But they are divided up into 30 or more unions. Thus a united front amongst the workers is totally impossible. The bosses have gone ahead for years building trusts and super-trusts through a process of amalgamating their companies. But the unions have stood still, adhering to their antiquated policy of craft organization. Consequently the workers are demoralized and helpless in front of their ruthless exploiters.
Amalgamation sentiment, propagated by the International Committee for Amalgamation in the Metal Industry, is rapidly spreading in these basic trades. A definite plan of consolidation has been put out by the Committee, scientifically providing for the merging of all the existing organizations into one body. A number of years ago the International Association of Machinists, by referendum vote, went on record to bring about amalgamation. But inasmuch as the whole matter was left in the hands of the officials nothing further was done about it. The new moment is strictly a rank and file proposition. Its aim is to educate the great masses to its concrete goal of amalgamation and to fight the thing through at all the conventions off the metal trades organizations. Amalgamation is now a burning issue in this industry.
The Needle Trades
In the clothing industry there are seven International Unions, totaling about 300,000 members of the 520,777 employed in the entire industry. There is a strong movement on foot, led by the International Committee of the Needle Trades Section, T. U. E. L., to combine all these into one powerful industrial organization. To this end a concrete plan of amalgamation has been worked out and printed, and is being popularized widespread amongst the broad masses of clothing workers. On May 5-6, 1923, the Needle Trades Section held its first national conference in New York, with all important clothing centers in the country represented. Chief among its acts was the working out of plans to push through amalgamation in the near future.
One great union in the industry, the Amalgamated Clothing Workers, stands committed to the calling of a general convention to amalgamate all the unions. The other organizations quite generally endorse the principle of a needle trades alliance, or federation. Since the amalgamation movement has grown so strong in the industry the advocates of alliance have the more vigorously put forth their proposition as a substitute. But the great rank and file will have none of it. The needle trades workers wilt probably be the first in this country to actually combine their several unions into one industrial organization.
The Building Trades
The amalgamation movement is growing steadily among the building trades workers, due largely to the work of the International Committee for Amalgamation of the Building Trades. For many years these skilled workers, strategically situated, went along upon an individualistic basis with each craft fighting its own battle regardless of the interests of the others. In 1908, they formed themselves into the loosely-constructed Building Trades Department of the A. F. of L, to which 16 of the 17 important national craft unions are now affiliated. This federal form of organization has failed completely to bring about solidarity of the building trades workers. Time after time the employers have smashed the organizations by playing Off one set against the other. The present situation in Chicago offers a typical example of this division inherent in craft unionism. Judge Landis, foisted upon the unions as an arbitrator, handed down a decision which half the organizations accepted and half rejected. Result, the movement is split in the middle. Trades which prided themselves a few years ago upon their sterling unionism are now openly working with Landis-award strike-breakers under police protection. The lessons from this and hundreds of similar incidents in the history of the building trades workers are beginning to be understood, and throughout the industry the movement is rapidly growing to supercede the present loose and ineffective federative system by the amalgamation of all the unions into one solid organization.
The Printing Trades
Like the workers in all other industries, those in the printing trades are suffering from craft division. Split into six organizations, comprising only 145,000 out of the 291,000 who are employed in the industry, the printing trades workers are increasingly helpless before the "open-shop" drive of the employers. The loose federations amongst them are powerless to bring about real solidarity, even as this is the case in other industries. Most of the large printing plants of the country are non-union, including Rand-McNally & Co., Curtis Publishing Co., Doubleday, Page & Co., etc.
The national 44-hour fight, begun on May 1st, 1921, and still going on, has emphasized the weakness of craft unionism in the printing trades. Only two of the organizations, the International Typographical Union and the Photo-Engravers, have been able to make anything like a real showing in this bitter struggle. But even they have suffered heavily, the I. T. U. losing a considerable percentage of its membership and spending $15,000,000 in strike benefits. As for the Pressmen and Bookbinders, they have been dealt severe blows, in many cases losing heavily of their membership and failing to gain the goal sought. Even the Stereotypers and Electrotypers have not escaped unscathed. The fight was marked throughout by all the evils of craft division, and it points out clearer than ever the lesson that if printers are to progress they must unite their forces.
Two International Unions, the I. T. U. and Bookbinders, have endorsed the principle of amalgamation. But their officials are doing little or nothing about it. The rest of the unions in the industry endorse: the usual “closer affiliation” substitute, The real work for amalgamation is being carried on by the International Committee for Amalgamation in the Printing Trades, which is campaigning in all printing trades organizations for a general merger of all the existing unions into one body.
The Food Industry
In the manufacture and distribution of food products the same division and weakness exists as in other industries. There are nine of the most important unions, one of which, the Amalgamated Food Workers, an industrial union with its stronghold in New York, is an independent organization. Of the at least 1,500,000 workers in the various branches of this great industry, not more than 100,000 are organized. From the point of realizing their common interests the workers in the food industry are very backword. Even the principle of federation has not come to be practiced amongst them. Each union goes its own way regardless of the rest.
But if the workers are sluggish in improving their organization, the capitalists are not. Every branch of the food industry is being rapidly trustified. The great packing interests are steadily combining their forces and extending their control. Likewise the combinations making up the sugar and flour trusts. The baking interests and the hotel companies are merging into larger and larger units. And in the retail section of the industry chain restaurants, grocery stores, etc., multiply apace.
At last the workers are beginning to awaken somewhat to the necessities of the situation. Two of the International Unions have declared for a general consolidation, the Amalgamated Food Workers and the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen. The instrument of the militants for carrying on the educational work among the rank and file of all the organizations is the General Committee for Amalgamation of All Unions in the Food Industry.
Shoe and Leather Industry
The shoe and leather industry is a classic field of dual unionism. There are at least a dozen organizations, all indepedent of each other and all antagonistic towards one another. Consequently not more than 30% of the industry is organized. In this industry the need for amalgamation is a crying one. Recently the many independent unions tried to amalgamate, but the movement only partially succeeded. The officials of several of the organizations, seeing that there was no chance for them to be elected to official positions in the new amalgamated body, got out injunctions against the latter organization and did everything possible to prevent a general consolidation.
With this example in mind, the militants in the industry are now a proceeding upon a more fundamental plan, They have organized the International Committee of the Shoe and Leather Industry. Its policy differs from the old amalgamation program in the important respects that it is based upon winning over the rank and file, not simply the officialdom, to the necessity for amalgamation, and that it includes the A. F. of L. unions as well as the independents. The International Committee held its first national conference in Boston May 13th, where definite plans were laid out to intensify the campaign for amalgamation in every leather union and industrial center of the United States. In its attitude towards the many unions in the shoe and leather industry, the International Committee undertakes to put into effect the general principles outlined by the T. U. E. L. for such complicated situations where many unions exist in opposition to each other, The League's statement follows:
Relations Between Rival Unions: Where, because of voluntary withdrawals, mass expulsions, splits and secessions, or independent organization, certain unions exist separated from the main. mass unions in their respective crafts or industries, the policy of the Trade Union Educational League is as follows:
(a) Where the independent unions are weak in numbers and influence, consisting chiefly of militants, they shall work for re-affiliation with the stronger organizations in their industries, either as groups or as individual members, and thus bring the militants into their proper position among the organized masses.
(b) Where the independent unions are strong numerically and actually function as mass organizations the League shall do its utmost to upbuild and maintain them. But such unions shall not war against the old organizations nor pull individual or local unions away from them. In cases where two or more mass unions exist in an industry in rivalry with each other, the League militants will remain in their respective organizations and work to put into effect the following general policies: (1) to bring about temporary adjustments of the jurisdictional disputes between the affected organizations and to turn their attention away from fighting each other and towards the organization of the unorganized; (2) to carry on an energetic and persistent campaign for amalgamation of all the rival unions, A. F. of L. and Independents, into one industrial body.
The Textile Industry
The textile industry is one of the oldest in America. For 133 years it has been ruthlessly exploiting men, women, and children. A low degree of organization prevails. Of the 1,000,000 workers in the industry, not over 100,000 are organized. These are split up into fully a score of unions, squabbling amongst themselves, and constructed according to every known type. The employers, on the other hand, are well organized and trustified. In no industry in America are the trade unions so variegated and the workers so helpless and underpaid as in the textile industry.
There is no outlook for the textile workers better than that of slavery unless their great number of unions are brought together and united. Long ago the employers quit the foolish policy of competition. Under the leadership of the General Amalgamation Committee of the Textile Industry, which like the other similar bodies is a rank and file proposition, the workers now are also carrying on an agitation for one union of all textile workers. This Committee held its first national conference in New York on May 5, 1923. In this industry the workers are so demoralized and helpless that amalgamation will be difficult to bring about. But the militants are going at the task with vigor and intelligence, and will soon bring order and solidarity out of the present chaotic conditions.
The Marine Industry
A few years ago the marine transport industry was one of the best organized in America. As a result of the war situation the International Longshoremen's Association and the Seamen's International Union built themselves into powerful organizations controlling most of the workers in their respective branches. But incompetent leadership, coupled with the inescapable weakness of craft unionism, has wrecked these organizations. Since the war they have lost strike after strike. Thousands and thousands of their members quit in disgust and gave up unionism altogether. Other thousands joined in secession movements of various kinds. The general result is that the industry is now split up into at least 30 organizations, all in rivalry with each other. With such a demoralized front the marine workers are practically helpless, the employers having virtually a free hand in establishing wages, hours, and working conditions.
In May, 1923, rank and file elements in these various organizations of the marine industry have formed a Committee to propagate the amalgamation of all the unions into one body. This is known as the International Marine Workers' Amalgamation Committee. It is carrying on an agitation in all the ports of the United States and Canada.
The Tobacco Industry
The same as in all other spheres, the amalgamation movement has spread to the tobacco industry, For many years the cigarmakers were labor aristocrats, being highly skilled mechanics, But industrial evolution has shaken them from their strategic position. The introduction of the mold, the endless rubber belt, and machinery of various sorts, which has enabled the employers fo use unskilled and semi-skilled labor, broke down the old craft monopoly, A further factor in weakening the workers was the trustification of the industry and the building up of tremendous reserve funds by the tobacco kings.
While this evolution of the industry was going on, the union failed to keep pace. It clung tenaciously to the old outworn policies, with the result that it has been practically shoved aside by the onward march of industrial development, Only a small fraction of the industry is organized, and the trade union officialdom is helpless to do anything about it. In this crisis the rank and file are stirring. They have organized the Amalgamation Committee for the Tobacco Industry, and are advancing the program of consolidating the several unions in the industry into one. They propose to renovate and revivify the movement from top to bottom. Their program of reorganization is thorough-going and complete.
The Coal Mining Industry
Although the coal miners have an industrial union which takes in all classes of workers employed in and around the mines, their experience of the past few years shows that they must seek to develop still greater combinations. They have organized a rank and file committee known as the Progressive International Committee of the United Mine Workers of America. In its general program occur the following statements regarding amalgamation:
The Progressive Miners heartily endorse the movement to amalgamate all the craft unions of the country into a series of industrial unions. In its early days the coal mining industry was afflicted with craft unionism, but the miners saw fit to combine all their unions into one organization to cover the whole industry. In the great fights that have since occurred the industrial form of our union has stood us in good stead, Had we been so organized that one part of the working force remained at work while the rest were striking, we would have been defeated and our organization broken up long ago. Speaking from experience, we heartily recommend industrial unionism to the labor movement as a whole, and we pledge ourselves to do whatever we can to bring it about.
There must be created a real fighting alliance between the men who dig the coal and those who haul it. This must not be a weak affiliation such as exists at present, which produces merely an exchange of friendly telegrams of sympathy when either group is on strike. The miners and railroad workers must actually join forces for united action and fight side by side in times of strikes.
The sentiment for amalgamation is rising rapidly in all the industries. As a result of the great "open shop" drive of the last few years the workers are coming to understand more and more that the old craft unions are helpless in the face of modern, highly-organized capitalism. The Trade Union Educational League, through its systematized work of education, is organizing and directing this sentiment along practical lines. It has made amalgamation one of the burning issues now before Organized Labor. As a result of its efforts several International Unions, 14 State Federations, and countless city central bodies and local unions have declared for amalgamation. The American labor movement is about to advance from its primitive condition of craft unionism to a modern and effective state of industrial unionism. Only in this manner can it withstand the "open shop" and forge ahead on its way to ultimate freedom. The list of amalgamation committees follows:
International Committee for Amalgamation in the Railroad Industry,
Otto H. Wangerin, Secretary-Treasurer,
411 Dakota Bldg., St. Paul, Minn.
International Committee for Amalgamation in the Metal Industry,
John Werlik, Secretary-Treasurer,
1432 So. Keeler Ave., Chicago, Ill.
International Committee of the Needle Trades Section, T. U. E. L.,
Joseph Zack, Secretary,
208 East 12th St. New York City.
International Committee for Amalgamation of the Building Trades,
Ed. Johnson, Secretary,
106 No. La Salle St., Room 41, Chicago, Ill.
International Committee for Amalgamation of the Printing Trades Unions,
E. L. Lee, Secretary,
520 West 163rd St, New York City.
General Committee for the Amalgamation of All Unions in the Food Industry,
V. H. Sundell, Secretary,
1114 Wellington Ave., Chicago, Ill.
International Amalgamation Committee of the Shoe and Leather Industry,
J. Kassner, Secretary,
60 Pemberton Square, Room 310, Boston, Mass.
General Amalgamation Committee of the Textile Industry,
Albert Fleischer, Secretary,
208 East 12th St., New York City.
International Marine Workers’ Amalgamation Committee,
Joseph Stone, Secretary,
208 East 12th St., New York City
Amalgamation Committee for the Tobacco Industry,
C. J. Blockland, Secretary,
200 I St, South Boston, Mass.
Progressive International Committee of the United Mine Workers of America,
Thos. Myerscough, Secretary,
35 Miller St, Pittsburgh, Pa.
All militants should get in touch with the Committees in their respective industries.