McLaughlin Glass Company, Los Angeles, CA

LOS ANGELES, CALIF.

By Ralph Brown

Local Union No. 141 officials were called into conference by the Latchford Glass Company the week of August 14th to consider a proposal that is worthy of consideration by all firms and labor groups who are sincerely trying to do something for the unfortunates who are being penalized because of their inability to find employment during this unnecessary depression.

The plan is this: That the company is willing to put up with the inconvenience connected with having part time employes in their mould shop and asks that the employes who have been enjoying five and a half days a week steadily consent to working four days a week and so allow someone who is unemployed to work a day and a half a week. In this way a workman who has been obtaining, for example, $8.00 a day or $44.00 a week, will work four days a week and receive $32.00 and someone who has been without employment will be given the other day and a half and so will receive $12.00 a week. The company realizes that there will be a loss in work received because of the change in personnel each week but is willing to penalize themselves in this way in order that those absolutely without income will at least receive the twelve dollars a week. They can live better on that than they can on charity.

This plan places squarely on the shoulders of those steadily employed the necessity of making a sacrifice that those without employment may live. This brings to mind the question: How will those steadily employed react to the suggestion that they lose that their fellow man may live. The story is told of an immigrant seeking entree to Russia, being questioned to ascertain whether he would make a good citizen for a socialist country. The first question: What would you do if vou had a thousand dollars? Was answered: I would give five hundred to my brother who had nothing. The second question: What would you do if you had two overcoats? Was answered: I would give one to my oldest brother. Then he was asked: What would you do if you had two pairs of trousers? He seemed to be having trouble finding a suitable answer and when told that he had answered the other two questions correctly and promptly and the last should be even easier, he replied: Yes, but you see I really have two pairs of trousers.

The point is, will those who have, sacrifice to those who are in need? It is understood that the employes of the Latchford Company have unhesitatingly endorsed the plan. They are worthy and deserving of commendation.

Other manufacturers in Southern California have expressed their willingness to cooperate in a similar manner as soon as they are able.

It is said: As soon as they are able, for at the present time they are not.

The fires at the plant of the Long Beach Glass Company are out and work for the mould shop is slack.

The Maywood Glass Company plant is closing down entirely for a few weeks.

The Forger Glass Company plant is and has been practically closed as far as production is concerned for some time.

The Owens-Illinois plant is closing down for a time also.

The Technical Glass Company plant is only working a few days a month.

The Crystalitc Products Corporation is making a short run and will again cease production.

The Brock Glass Company of Santa Ana, from which our members have been locked out, is understood to be closing its factory for some time. It is to be hoped that they will come to the realization that skilled labor is as necessary to their welfare as capital and that when they start again our members will be employed.

The McLaughlin Glass Company plant is working only a day or two now and then.

The Latchford Gluss Company, the proposer of the plan outlined above, is the only factory in Southern California that is running regularly.

One may see from the forgoing, that Local Union No. 141 has quite a problem on its hands, especially when one takes into consideration the fact that it, has members working or waiting for work in nine factories scattered over two counties and these counties out here are not small. If one were to use the Los Angeles City Hall as a starting point to visit the different factories he would travel about forty miles to the Brock plant, about twenty-five miles to the Long Beach plant, about seven miles to Latchfords, five miles to McLaughlins, Forgers, Technical, or Lenwoods, about six miles to the Owens-Illinois and about nine miles to the Crystalite or Maywood. Leaving from Los Angeles and visiting all the different factories by driving from one to another and then returning would add nearly one hundred and seventy-five miles to your speedometer. It is not unusual for members to drive from ten to forty miles to attend local meetings, which never seem dull or monotonous, and we have some rather lively discussions under "Benefit of Labor" that might make some of our politicians awaken to the fact that it is men such as ourselves who give them their jobs and make some of the manufacturers realize that it is men such as ourselves who buy the bulk of all merchandise sold.