CHAPTER V THE STRIKE OF 1915 THE settlement with Hart, Schaffner and Marx in 1911 left the rest of the Chicago clothing market unorganized. From then until the final victory in 1919 vigorous and continued effort was made by the Chicago clothing workers' union to organize the unorganized shops. For those who returned to work in 1911 under non-union conditions, the outcome of the 1910 strike was not a defeat but merely an interruption in this long battle that was to last eight years. From time to time, organization activity was carried on with increased energy. In 1913, for example, a vigorous organization campaign that had its fruits was conducted by the Chicago union. But the real beginning of the campaign came in 1915, after the break from the United Garment Workers, with the initiation by the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America of a new and more vigorous policy of organization throughout the whole country. Long before the crisis of 1915 was precipitated, the nonunion employers in the clothing industry used old and tried methods in combatting organization campaigns of the union. The system of blacklisting, which had for so long been popular in the Chicago clothing industry, was conducted in the Medinah Temple as before. People who were known to have joined the Union could not in any circumstances get jobs. One worker testifies as follows: "I worked for Stein, Bloch & Co., Rochester, New York, and as a union man answered the call of a general strike in that city for the eight-hour day. "Eleven months later, the strike still on in Rochester, I came to Chicago and had only worked four weeks when a general strike was called there which was soon lost, and from that time to the present the workers have been beaten and the Employers' Association has been in the saddle. "After the strike was lost, I applied to different firms for a position as cutter and was told by each go to the Medinah Temple and if you get a ticket come back and see us.' "Rosenwald of Rosenwald and Weil told me to go over, get a ticket and come back to work. I went to the Medinah Temple and told them I had a job waiting. I was rebuked for not coming there first, told that Rosenwald nor anyone else could hire help without consulting the Medinah agency, given the third degree, then told there were several ahead of me who were more deserving, and anyway they had to investigate. "I didn't get the job at Rosenwald but Martin J. Isaacs, real head of the Association, told me they had received word from Rochester that I had gone out there on a strike and he said he didn't think I had been punished enough and he would not have me in any of their houses. I appealed to him in the name of my wife and baby and he said I should have thought of them before I went out on strike." As early as March, April and May, 1915, workers were discharged for joining the Union and in some cases shops were struck in protest against such discharges. This general condition continued until August, 1915, when, at the meeting of the General Executive Board of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers in Baltimore, it was decided to initiate a country wide campaign of organization with the purpose of organizing those sections of the industry that still remained unorganized. Of these non-union sections, Chicago was of course one of the most important. On September 14, 1915, the organization campaign in Chicago was formally opened by a mass meeting of almost 5,000 clothing workers. At this meeting the demands on the non-union manufacturers were drawn up and an ultimatum issued by the union that these demands must be conceded by September 27th or their employees would be called out on a general strike. On September 16, 1915, the following demands were submitted to the non-union clothing manufacturers: 1. Forty-eight (48) hours shall constitute a week's work, which shall be divided as follows: Eight and three-quarters hours each week day, except Saturday, and on Saturday four and one-half hours ending at 12 o'clock noon. 2. No employee shall be required to work on a legal holiday and no deduction shall be made from the pay of week workers for such holidays. 3. All overtime shall be paid at the rate of time and one-half. 4. An increase of 25 per cent. in all wages and earnings. 5. During slack and dull seasons, work shall be distributed as equally as possible among all the workers. 6. Recognition of the Union, so that collective bargaining may be established and maintained in the industry. 7. No employee shall be discharged without cause and all fining systems shall be abolished, as well as all blacklisting agencies and sub-contracting in the shops. 8. Suitable arbitration machinery shall be established for the adjustment of future complaints. 9. The minimum scale of wages for week workers shall be as follows: Cutters, $26 a week. Trimmers, $20 a week. Examiners and Bushelmen, $20 a week. 10. Suitable provision shall be made for apprentices. 11. Any contract entered into shall apply to all contractors for whose faithful observance thereof the manufacturers shall be responsible." These demands of the union the clothing manufacturers met with their customary contempt. Martin J. Isaacs, attorney for the Wholesale Clothiers' Association, characterized the demands as an attempt to create unrest among the working classes. "I would not dignify the request for arbitration of differences," he said, "by admitting there is anything to arbitrate. Conditions are excellent in our factories, the wages are all that are desired and the workers are satisfied and willing to stay at their posts if only they are left alone. If, however, labor agents keep haranguing them on the theory that they are not well treated and publicity is given to such a campaign, then the workers may become convinced that they are entitled to something better and walk out. "In case there is a strike, the employees simply will have to return to work under the old conditions, because we will not recognize the organization making the demands nor any of its officials. We know that the great majority of the employees do not believe in the Union or its leaders. The employers refuse to be frightened. They do not take strike threats seriously." |