Vol. 76/No. 16 April 23, 2012
April 24, 1987
LOS ANGELES—After working without a contract for nearly four months, workers at Manny Industries finally won a contract. Manny’s manufactures bedspreads and comforters. The plant is organized by the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union.Last June the company’s owners demanded a 12 percent wage cut, reductions in holidays and vacation time, and changes in medical benefits. Union members immediately began organizing to stop Manny’s takeback drive. Most of the workers at the plant are immigrants from Mexico and Central America.
On several occasions up to 200 workers participated in protest demonstrations outside the plant during their lunch breaks. The cutting department also conducted slowdowns. The company was finally forced to withdraw its initial takeback demands.
April 23, 1962
The flare-up last week between President John F. Kennedy and the U.S. Steel Corporation demonstrates that nationalization of the steel industry is the only way the public interest can be protected against the tiny group of profiteers who control basic steel.The fact that Kennedy forced U.S. Steel to rescind the $6-a-ton price increase is permitting him to masquerade as a foe of profiteering. But the net result of the incident will be to strengthen the hand of the steel corporations and big business generally in increasing profits at the expense of the American people.
Kennedy’s intervention was not aimed at the profiteers, but at the labor movement. He hit U.S. Steel’s price rise because it upset his carefully laid plan to establish precedents in the steel industry for government-imposed limitation of demands by labor unions.
April 17, 1937
LANSING, Mich.—Walter P. Chrysler and John L. Lewis have signed a peace treaty running to March 31, 1938. This settles the Chrysler sit-down strike.The Chrysler Corporation agrees to bargain with the United Automobile Workers of America as the agency for all its members; not to interfere, discriminate, or in any way obstruct or discourage membership in the union; and not to “aid, promote or finance” any organization or group like a company union.
The union agrees not to solicit membership on the corporation’s plant or time. It will neither cause nor allow any member of the union to take part in any stoppage of work or sit-down strikes during the term of the agreement.
Men are to be put back to work as “fast as possible,” with no discrimination against strikers.
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