The Daily Worker

Food Workers' Great Fight

It was a great tribute to the Amalgamated Food Workers in Chicago, when Judge Hugo Friend issued an injunction covering 170 Greek restaurants, prohibiting that organization from organizing the exploited workers in those places. And it was not a score against this independent union, when the lawyers for the bosses pointed out that it is not connected with the American Federation of Labor. Rather should it make all members of the greater body of organized labor ask themselves, why should the relief of the Greek workers, among the most exploited in the city, have been left to a small, independent body, rather than having been undertaken by those who have the big treasuries and powerful connections. That the Amalgamated Food Workers should enter the struggle for the eight-hour day, and decent wages, in the Greek restaurants, throwing all their energies into the fight, is proof that it is animated by
When workers are in battle against the bosses, no real union man will quibble about technicalities of affiliations. Rather every union man in Chicago, American Federation of Labor or otherwise, will cheer on the campaign among the Greek restaurant workers, and will render every assistance possible. Organize the restaurants of Chicago, the Greeks now and then the others. Abolish the 10 and 12-hour day. Establish a decent wage. These are the immediate problems in the hotel and restaurant industry. The Amalgamated Food Workers are making a good start. More power to these efforts.