The Daily Worker

KAUFMANISM IN CHICAGO LOCAL FURRIERS' UNION STILL STRONG BUT RULES ONLY BY ARITHMETIC

(By Worker Correspondent.)

The election in Local 45 of the Furriers' Union, which was held Friday, August 14, is another proof of Kaufmanism control.

In no union in the American labor movement is gangsterism such a big factor as in the Furriers' Union. The officialdom of the Furriers outbids every other officialdom in the extent of using violence to gain and hold control of the organization.

The International officers are on the qui vive in Chicago, where the bulk of membership having successfully overthrown Kaufman's slugger rule and graft. Toronto, Canada, followed suit. Chicago today is very much along the way to support of the New York Joint Board which is dead against the Kaufman gang. This last election proved it beyond any doubt.

Counted Out.

The progressive candidate, Israelson, with all obstacles in his way-bosses acting as campaign managers for Kaufman's "seventh vice-president" Milstein, bosses even voting for him at the meeting-despite all this Israelson polled 158 votes to Milstein's 202.

Those of us present could not have been more than 275 people, including bosses and gangsters. Where Milstein's tellers got so many votes is no great mystery, as only one teller out of the four was permitted to count for Israelson. That itself is enough.

D. Schachtman, secretary of the New York joint board was in Chicago a few days prior to the election. He is a former business agent and active member of Local 45. Milstein made every effort to have Schachtman leave town. He went so far as to send a personal courier-with a warning-that unless Schachtman left town before Friday, he might never be able to be present at another meeting of the Furriers' Union.

Called the Bluff.

But Schachtman accepted the challenge and called the bluff. He and B. Gold, manager of the New York joint board appeared at the meeting and received an enthusiastic reception.

At this meeting the local executive board brought up a recommendation that the Chicago local invite Kaufman and the New York joint board to discuss the present controversy, and it was unanimously accepted by the local, as the Chicago furriers are eager to see Kaufman getting the same blow here as he got in New York and Toronto.

Kaufman Shy.

It is very doubtful if Kaufman will accept the challenge, in spite of his boast that Chicago is supporting him 100 per cent.

Out of about 700 furriers in Chicago, only about 400 are organized. No effort on the part of the Kaufman international or local administration headed and controlled by Milstein has been made to organize the other 300 workers.

Disorganization exists among our own membership. The most active members are discriminated against in shops by bosses and in the union by Milstein.

A Beginning.

Shops which are supposed to work under the union agreement are sending their work out to non-union shops without any protest by our union. The present policy of our union is to do nothing-except to yield to every demand of the manufacturers. But this will not go on much longer.

Our brothers are waking up to the fact that the only way to build up a strong, unified union in Chicago is by throwing off Kaufmanism and to follow the lead of the New York brothers. The first step is already taken, at the recent meeting, when a majority of our brothers voted against Milstein and for Israelson.

their last legs today in New York these demands that the Joint Board is