The Daily Worker

Broach and Clique Has Police; Industrial Squad on Hand to Intimidate Militants

MISLEADER SEES THAT FOES ARE KEPT FROM WORK

Dues Will Soon Be Made Higher

(By a Worker Correspondent.)

I will try to write about conditions as they exist in local three of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

This union is run exactly as Russia under the czar was run. No one is allowed to express himself at the meeting: if you try to even talk, they will not allow you in at the next meeting.

There are 600 or more electrical workers, members, kept out in this way. There are cops all over in uniforms and the Industrial Squad in plain clothes at every meeting.

All this is conducted by "Sugar Coated Pill" Broach, with the aid of his machine. This Broach used to say to the O'Hara faction, which was once ruler, and which he ousted, "Call off your cops." But he does not call off his cops.

Under his committee of 100, he used to lecture to his gang of curs. "Anyone who is against us, when he is working, get him off the job." In other words, see that Broach's enemies do not work at all.

The night when he wanted $70,000 or near that amount, he would not let in the militant members for fear he might be questioned about what was to be done with such an amount.

When jobs come in at the office, here is how they are given out.

Hundreds of men are in a small room, milling around, holding up their cards. The official gives out the job to the ones whose card he grabs. To get a job here is like playing the horses.

There are great amounts of city work going to non-union men. Take for instance the subway work. Of all the labor engaged in it, possibly only 10 per cent. are union men.

There are only about forty union electricians on the whole job. Speaking as one acquainted with subway local work, I know that this job should take about 500 men for at least three years work.

The power-house in Brooklyn schools being done non-union. Most vent non-union. There are five of the officials are democrat peanut politicians and the rest are republicans, and I think for certain political favors there is very little fight for this work by the officials of the union.

The dues are going to be increased to $2 per quarter soon, and possibly more. Out of about 8,000 men there are 1,500 out of work. Broach says there are only 200. Instead of riding in Nash sedans and the best of Pullmans, and earning at least $7,000 a year in rain or shine, let him trudge the streets and offices, looking for work for at least one week.

A job is very hard to get between the months of November and May.

The average wage is around $25 to $35 a week.

I say to Broach, call off your cops, allow free speech in the meetings, allow every member in good standing into the meetings. Your rule is doomed, and you know it.

-ELECTRICAL WORKER.