B.J. Widick

In the Labor Unions

(11 July 1939)

From Socialist Appeal, Vol. III No. 49, 11 July 1939, p. 2.
Transcribed & marked up by Einde O’ Callaghan for the Encyclopaedia of Trotskyism On-Line (ETOL).

Spontaneous and, in several cases, officially called strikes of A.F.L. craftsmen on W.P.A. construction projects began this week in protest against the destruction of the union scales under the new relief appropriation measure passed by Congress.

In the New York area the strikes were so widespread that Thomas Murray, president of the Building and Construction Council of Greater New York, has called a meeting of his organization and says that official strike sanction is likely.

Murray estimated that 90 per cent of the 32,283 skilled workers on W.P.A. in New York City have stopped work.

Resent A.F.L. Policy

Resentment against the reduction in wage rates is directed not only against the Roosevelt administration but also – and this is very important – against the A.F.L. top leadership in Washington for having allowed Congress to delete the prevailing wage clause in the relief appropriation measure.

Under the present schedule, thousands of workers have been notified that they will have to work 130 hours a month to get the same pay they have been getting, on a monthly basis.

Under the old rates paid on a union scale, craftsmen obtained from $1 to $2 an hour, and worked much less than 130 hours.

A comparison of the pay received before the reduction on an hourly basis with union scale of wages and the money to be earned under the new schedule shows that most skilled craftsmen will get 60 cents an hour less! And work many hours more!

Facts and Figures

Here is what the New York craftsmen got before:

	Number on rolls May 31	Hours per fiscal period	Pay per four weeks
Plasterer	766	39	$78.00
Stone cutter	221	42	81.02
Stone setter	113	42	82.19
Electrician	1,514	42	84.00
Plumber	1,280	42	84.00
Steamfitter	627	42	84.00
Asbestos w’ker	268	42	84.00
Bricklayer	2,459	42	79.21
Stone mason	415	42	79.21
Structural iron worker	931	44	84.70
Sheet metal w’ker or roofer	932	46	85.10
Glazier	197	48	79.20
Rigger	172	48	79.20
Tile layer	316	48	81.02
Marble cutter or setter	284	48	81.02
Metallic lath’er	1,090	48	84.00
Dock builder	671	48	84.00
Compressor op’tor (p’table)	182	48	84.00
Carpenter	7,981	49	85.71
Cement mason	1,786	49	85.75
Ornament’l iron worker	840	49	85.75
Paver (block & granite)	180	52	86.27
Bluestone and granite cutter	123	52	85.80
Blacksmith	153	52	84.60
Waterproofer & tar roofer	604	53	84.80
Marble polisher	145	56	84.73
Painter	2,593	56	84.00
Burner	108	56	78,40
Welder	91	60	84.00
Timberman	1,784	68	81.60
Pipe caulker	163	72	82.80
Mechanic (auto)	190	80	80.00

It can hardly be wondered that the A.F.L. members are up in arms over this. William Green, president of the A.F.L., and other top leaders have a real explanation to make for their bad mistake in allowing the reduction to go into effect without a serious fight.

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Last updated: 6 March 2016