The Daily Worker

EDISON ELECTRIC STRIKE TIES UP CICERO FACTORY
Metal Workers No. 115 Has Fighting Pickets

By A Worker Correspondent

After a number of workers had been fired for union activities, a strike has been declared against the Edison Electric Appliance Co., on 52nd and 19th Sts., Cicero. The company operates two shops, one on 54th and Taylor Sts., and the plant mentioned above, which manufactures electric ovens and employs mostly sheet metal workers.

The strike has been called by the Sheet Metal Workers' International Alliance. Local 115. and most all the men responded to the strike call and are maintaining an effective picket line around the plant.

The men employed in the Edison Appliance have been attempting to organize for some time and force this open shop concern to pay a living wage. The company, thru it spy system, began a systematic firing of all men suspected for union activities.

Boss Used Threats.

First. two of the most active men were fired for attempting to organize

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Edison
Electric
Strike
Ties
Up
Factory in Cicero

(Continued from page 1)

their fellow
workers and when the
men protested this action the super-
intendent called the men together,
first promising them all the privileges
in the world, bonus and what not, but
the next minute threatening them with
violence and abuse if they would dare
to strike. He very boisterously boast-
ed about the powers that were behind
the company, such as the General
Electric Co., and stated:
"If you men attempt any darned
picketing around this shop, this com-
pany has enough money to hire hun-
dreds of sluggers to deal with you."
The next move was to fire 11 more
men. This finally resulted in calling
the strike.
Strike Grows Stronger.
The successful picketing and the
militant spirit of the workers have
had the results that a number of men
are coming out every day and joining
the ranks of the strikers and produc-
tion has been completely paralyzed.
All the highly skilled men who have
been working here for many years
have joined the strike.
The company, however, has made
good its threats of hiring all the plug-
uglies, pimps and sewer rats in town
to try to intimidate the men. All these
professional strikebreakers have been
sworn in as special deputy sheriffs
and each scab is accompanied home
by one or two of these skunks, who
even have the audacity to threaten
violence on elevated trains and street
cars when they see the strikers at-
tempt to talk to the scabs.
Should Be Time to Unionize.
All this intimidation, however, has
only resulted in greater solidarity
among the strikers, who are determin-
ed not to be bluffed by a bunch of
professional scabs posing as special
police, and they are determined to car-
ry on the fight until the company has
been forced to recognize the union
and pay a living wage.
The workers employed in the elec-
tric industry are all paid a miser-
able wage and this strike ought to be
the signal for a general organization
campaign to bring into the fold of
organized labor every man and woman
who is working in this great and im-
portant industry.
Take this copy of the DAILY
WORKER with you to the shop