The Threat to the Labor Movement/Section 2
Role of Right Wing in the Strike.
THE strike was nominally a joint effort of both the right and left wings of the union, but was actually conducted by the left wing leadership of the New York Joint Board in the face of sabotage from the right wing elements in New York and from the international officials of the union headed by Presirlent Sigman. The right wing was insistent on the acceptance of the findings of the commission appointed by Governor Smith—in other words, it was in favor of compulsory arbitration under the auspices of the state government controlled by Tammany Hall.
The stubborn attitude of both the manufacturers and the jobbers, who put up the fiercest resistance in the history of needle trades struggles, is a result of their knowledge that they had powerful allies inside of the union—the right wing leadership. The attacks of the bosses upon the left wing is proof of this.
Even if we give such factors as the long period of unemployment which preceded the strike and the tremendous profits which the American capitalist class has at its disposal for aiding its various sections in their conflicts with the workers, it still remains true that the greatest weaknes of the union was the treacherous character of the right wing activities.
The Amalgamated Clothing Workers' officialdom; in contrast to its previous unstinted aid in I. L. G. W. strikes, gave a paltry $25,000 to a strike which has cost about $100,000 per week.