Strike Strategy

327 Pages·06.671 MB·English

by  John Steuben

STRIKE STRATEGY by John Steuben is the
first hook of its kind and perhaps one of the
most important yet written for the members and
leaders of America's unions, as well as for all
!c'tudents of the labor movement.
Mr. Steuben has had a long and rugged experi
ence in organized labor and is a leader noted
throughout the country for his courage and
skill. Out of that rich experience he has pro
duced this hook which is both strike history
and strike manual.
Firstly Mr. Steuben believes that the strike is
an integral part of American life, that in the
struggle for a decent, secure life it is lahor"s
necessary weapon. He believes further that, as
a powerful economic necessity-which to he
done at all must he done very well-the strike
may in its conception and conduct approach
the accuracy of science.
The first step in its efficient conduct is an
understanding of all that has gone before, the
nature of past strike history, its failures, its
victories, and the reasons for both. The begin
ning of the hook, therefore, consists of a
brief dramatic history of strikes from 1776 to
the present.
Then, after examining the relationship of strikes
to national and local politics, Mr. Steuben
explains that in most major strikes employers
have used methods of actual warfare against
(Continued on back flap)
From the collection of the
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A N 0 T E A B 0 U T T H E A U T H 0 R
John Steuben has been active in the labor movement since
his early youth. He was first a machinist who came to under
stand the problems of workers as a worker himself and later,
in 1986, was a member of the original staff of the CIO Steel
Workers Organizing Committee. It was the gigantic task of
this committee to organize the tens of thousands of steel work
ers in the Mahoning Valley, one of the largest steel-producing
centers in the world.
During this period he came to be "regarded by his fellows,"
as the New Republic said, "as one of the ablest and most con
scientious field workers for the CIO."
In 1987 John Steuben's superb qualities as a leader brought
him into national prominence in the now famous "Little Steer'
strike in which he was an important factor in leading the work
ers in that conflict which eventually resulted in victory against
Tom Girdler, head of Republic Steel.
Mr. Steuben is also the author of the book Labor in War
time, an analysis of labor f'elations during World War I. He is
at present Secretary-Treasurer of the New York Hotel Front
Service Empwyees Union, AFL.
This book is dedicated to the memory
of the steel workers killed
in the 1987 steel strike
STRIKE
STRATEGY
GAER ASSOCIATES INC.
NEW YORK 1950
Copyright 1950 by Gaer Associates, Inc.
Printed in the Unite d States of America ~~199
CONTENTS /////////////I//////I 111 /////I////////I 11 I
Page 9 Foreword
PART ONE
13 1-The Right to Strike
We Are Strike-Conscious-Safeguarding
the Right to Strike-The "Cooling Off'
Tactic-The "National Emergency" Device
-Strikes as Expression of Discontent
Striking for Dollars and Cents-Do Strikes
Cause Higher PricesP-Why Not Compro
miseP-Is the Public the Victim?
31 2-The Great Tradition
Strikes-1776-1949.
49 3-Strikes and Politics
It Was Once a "Conspiracy"- How Strikes
Reflect Political Conditions-Political As
pects of Strike Strategy-The Fight for
Labor Legislation-Courts Against Picket
Lines - State Anti-Strike Laws - "Emer
gency" Laws.
63 4-Application of Military Strategy
Military and Strike Princip'les ComTX'recl
How Strikes and Warfare Differ-Indus
trial Munitions Against Unions-How Em
pl.oyers Plan for Industrial Warfare-How
State and Federal Troops Operate-Indoc
trinating the National Guard
5
PART TWO
89 5-Preparing for Battle
Constant Alertness-Preparing the Newly
Organized to Strike-Reaching the Work
ers and Their Families-Going to the
People-Involving the Rank and File-Or
ganizing the Strike Leadership-Setting Up
Essential Strike Committees-An Example
of Strike Efficiency-Does a Depression
Rule Out Strikes?-Tackling the Unem
ployment Problem - Achieving United
Ranks
117 6-0n the Line
Well Begun-Half Done-Timing: The
Value of Surprise-The Power of a Perfect
Walkout-How to Handle Backward
Workers-Planning the First Picket Line
Reaching the Bulk of the Strikers-The
Longer the Line-the Shorter the Strike
Dangers of Token Picketing-What to do
about Scabs-Can Strikebreaking Ever be
"Legitimate"?-What a Picket Plan Must
Include-Sample Instructions to Pickets
148 7-0n the Offensive
All Together or "One at a Time"-Broader
Strategy....:..Forestalling Employer Tactics
Examples of Solidarity-Bringing Up Re
serves-Dramatizing the Strike
164 8-Public Support
Labor Has Allies-How UE Reached the
People-The Story of Reverend ]ones
Winning Church Support-Winning the,
Farmers and Veterans-Don't Write Off
the Press
6
PART THREE
181 9-Violence on the Picket Line
The Connection of PoUtics and Violence-
1877-100 Dead in "Railroad UTJrising"
The Battle of "Fort Frick" -1892-The
Ludlow Massacre-1914-Murder in Steel
Towns
209 IO-Murder in Our Time
Chicago Memorial Day Massacre-1937-
Women Sit Down - Men Murdered,
Youngstown-1937 - "Little Steer - Big
Sacrifice-Roll Call of the Dead-How to
Fight Employer Violence
280 11-Modem Strikebreaking-The Mo-
hawk Valley Formula
The "New" Approach-Attempt to Dis
credit Strike Leaders-The Ta~-Hartley
Attack on Union Leaders-Attempt to Dis
credit Union Demands-Are «Fringe" De
mands Important?
244 12-ccLaw and Order"
"Impartial" Citizens Committees-False
Patriotism-Camouflaged Company Prop
aganda-Exposing the "Citizens Commit
tee'°-Violence in the Name of "Law and
Order"- The Vigilante Movement-The
Underground Conspiracies-How to Fight
Vigilantism
262 13-Back-to-Work Movements
A Modern VBrsion of Scabbing-When
and How the Formula Is Applieclr
How Workers Are Misleclr-ccindependent
Associations" as Fronts-Timing the Back
to-Work Offensioe-ccThe Right to Work"
Propaganda-Remington Rand Workers
Defeat the F ormu'la
7