Page:Jay Fox - Amalgamation (1923).pdf/29

Rh like a real showing in this bitter struggle. But even they have suffered heavily, the I. T. U. losing a considerable percentage of its membership and spending $15,000,000 in strike benefits. As for the Pressmen and Bookbinders, they have been dealt severe blows, in many cases losing heavily of their membership and failing to gain the goal sought. Even the Stereotypers and Electrotypers have not escaped unscathed. The fight was marked throughout by all the evils of craft division, and it points out clearer than ever the lesson that if printers are to progress they must unite their forces.

Two International Unions, the I. T. U. and Bookbinders, have endorsed the principle of amalgamation. But their officials are doing little or nothing about it. The rest of the unions in the industry endorse: the usual “closer affiliation” substitute, The real work for amalgamation is being carried on by the International Committee for Amalgamation in the Printing Trades, which is campaigning in all printing trades organizations for a general merger of all the existing unions into one body.

In the manufacture and distribution of food products the same division and weakness exists as in other industries. There are nine of the most important unions, one of which, the Amalgamated Food Workers, an industrial union with its stronghold in New York, is an independent organization. Of the at least 1,500,000 workers in the various branches of this great industry, not more than 100,000 are organized. From the point of realizing their common interests the workers in the food industry are very backword. Even the principle of federation has not come to be practiced amongst them. Each union goes its own way regardless of the rest.

But if the workers are sluggish in improving their organization, the capitalists are not. Every branch of the food industry is being rapidly trustified. The great packing interests are steadily combining their forces and extending their control. Likewise the combinations making up the sugar and flour trusts. The baking interests and the hotel companies are merging into larger and larger units. And in the retail section of the industry chain restaurants, grocery stores, etc., multiply apace.

At last the workers are beginning to awaken somewhat to the necessities of the situation. Two of the International Unions have