THE

CHAPTER VI

ORGANIZATION OF THE CHICAGO

MARKET

THE organization of the Chicago market in the spring of 1919 was a great historic achievement for the Amalgamated Clothing Workers. For nine years Chicago had been the apparently unconquerable fortress of the clothing manufacturers and of all the forces that opposed the union and its purposes. Chicago was the last of the big markets to withstand the union and with its surrender the Amalgamated became a great national organization. The entire period from the loss of the 1910 strike to the signing of the market agreement in 1919 was in reality one continuous campaign for organization, sometimes flourishing, sometimes discouragingly feeble, but never ceasing. It was the work of these years and the foundations that they laid, that made the great campaign successful. One of the general organizers said of the 1919 campaign:

"It is plainly seen that the attack of 1919 was made by veterans, and that the fruits of the campaign were the accumulated results of the knowledge and experience of ten years of constant endeavors."

The loss of the 1910 strike had been followed by a black period for the clothing workers. The real resumption of the work of organization began in 1914 after the birth of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America. The general strike of 1915 apparently left the workers not much better off as far as strength of organization or working conditions were concerned; nevertheless, it had important moral results. The failure of this strike was followed in 1916 by a strike of cutters, which while also apparently a failure, stimulated the work of organization and prepared the ground for the great drive of 1918-19. The success of the Hart, Schaffner

and Marx agreement and the publicity given to the gains of their workers contributed much to the growing dissatisfaction among workers in the Association houses. In fact, again and again, the Association houses were forced to grant concessions in wages or hours in order to hold their workers and continue to compete with Hart, Schaffner and Marx. Just before the active drive began, the manufacturers, hoping to weaken the campaign before it began, granted increases of 10 per cent. to all workers. Finally, the Executive Board of the national organization decided on an intensive campaign to organize the whole of the Chicago market. The campaign started officially in April, 1918, under the immediate direction of the leaders of the Chicago Joint Board. For purposes of organization, Chicago was divided into districts as follows: northwest side, west side and downtown districts, the "Loop," and southwest side; a staff of organizers was assigned to each of these districts and a special staff to the cutters and trimmers.

The campaign opened with a lively distribution of organization leaflets and circulars printed in all languages. The resolution passed in May, 1918, by the Hart, Schaffner and Marx workers, donating one week's increases granted them by the firm for the organization of the other Chicago workers, was printed in several languages and distributed to workers in the unorganized shops.

An important aspect of the campaign, and one that made itself felt almost at once, was the influence of the war and of the Government policy in the uniform shops. The ultimate effect of this policy was to help the union by bringing to light and removing the most unfair accusations that the employers sought to make against it. The Federal War Labor Board laid down the principles of collective bargaining for the guidance of the Administrator of Labor Standards. These principles recognized the right of workers to organize and bargain collectively and prohibited discrimination against workers by reason of their membership in labor organizations or of their participation in union activities. The union took it upon itself to inform the

workers of their rights to organize under Government regulations and, when the employers resisted their right to do so, took the grievances of the workers to the Administration of Labor Standards for adjustment. One of the most important of these cases was the John Hall Uniform Factory case, in which the firm had discharged the "agitators " who attempted to organize their shop in June, 1918. So keen was the spirit among the workers that they wanted to strike at once to compel reinstatement. President Hillman, however, wired the War Department asking that arrangements be made for the adjustment of the grievances and in the meantime instructed the workers not to strike. Conferences were held and the grievances eventually satisfactorily settled. Those who had been discharged were reinstated, wages were readjusted after a thorough investigation, and the employers were ordered to deal with the organization of their employees in accordance with the principles of the War Labor Board. Several other firms were charged with violating the Government war labor program by discharging workers because of their union membership or activity. The charges were investigated and proved to be true. Under pressure of the Administrator, one of the firms, which had discharged eight representatives elected by their fellowemployees to serve on a committee, reinstated these workers with back pay, recognized the shop committee, and agreed to the other demands of their workers.

A similar situation occurred in the Scotch Woolen Mills. After a long strike, the firm secured a sweeping order from Judge Smith enjoining the Amalgamated from picketing or maintaining pickets at or near the premises of the complainants or along routes followed by employees of complainants in going to and from their business, from watching or spying on places of business or employees, or those going in and out, or seeking to do business, from congregating near places of business or employees for purposes of compelling, inducing, or soliciting employees to leave their employment, or to attempt in any way to induce employees to leave their employment. But when the Scotch Woolen Mills