1300 striking workers in an isolated Utah railroad camp plead to the I.W.W. for help.

‘Wear Your Wooden Shoes To Tucker’ from Industrial Worker. Vol. 5 No. 15. July 3, 1913.

Tucker, Utah, June 22.— Fellow Workers:

We are sending out this urgent appeal for effective assistance in our struggle against the Utah Construction Company. On Thursday, June 9. we called a strike of all the men employed by the U.C. Co. and subsidiary contractors in the making of the grade for the D. & R.G. Ry. from Tucker to Soldier Summit. This action was taken because of the widespread discontent with the conditions prevailing throughout the construction camps. The demands made are as follows:

1. Minimum wage of $2.50 for nine hours.

2. Clean, wholesome grub and plenty of it.

3. Cut out the hospital fee. Companies to furnish bunks or cots and mattresses free to all employees. No discount for cashing checks. No advance in the price of board.

4. Companies to furnish facilities for washing and drying clothes.

5. Organizers to have access to camps at all times.

The call to strike was answered by a general walkout of thirteen hundred men along the tirade, and for several weeks a complete tie-up of the work ensued. Then followed the usual tactics of the master class, when their profits are assailed. The Utah Construction Co., with the aid of the D. & R.G. Co., promptly filled the town of Tucker and the deep and narrow canyon in which the work Is being done with a force of armed thugs, gunmen, scab herders and professional strike breakers.

By armed force they prevented us from effectually picketing the trains and, because of the geographical nature of the country, they were able to post their hired assassins at every strategic point to prevent our access to the camps.

They arrested our organizers, speakers and officials and, with the aid of their despicable tools, the county authorities, railroaded them to jail on trumped-up charges and framed-up evidence.

Local 69 of Salt Lake City has given its unswerving support, both in the way of organizers, speakers and financial aid all during the strike. The local at Helper, on the east side of Soldier Summit, has done splendid service in picketing the trains from Denver and the East, but was yesterday broken up and its members dispersed by the “Iron Heel.” The local at Denver has also given us loyal assistance by picketing the employment offices and holding street meetings to warn the slaves of the situation at Tucker.

But In spite of all our efforts, today we are almost isolated as we are prevented the use of the D. & R.G. owned telegraph line and our mall has been tampered with at the bidding of the U.C. Co. The remaining bunch of rebels are hourly expecting to be rounded up and railroaded out of Tucker to some distant spot, whence, because of the armed guard along the line, it will be impossible for us to return.

Considering the lack of class conscious knowledge among the slaves, and the overflooded state of the labor market In which the workers are compelled to compete with one another, we have put up a gallant and strenuous fight that has taught this labor skinning company a severe lesson by Inflicting upon them a loss of thousands of dollars through the cessation of work and the cost of maintaining their armed thugs and hired assassins.

It now remains for reliable outside rebels, skilled in the use of the wooden shoe, to drive home the lesson by getting onto the job and incessantly using the shoe at every point where this robber corporation is open to attack. By this means and by intermittent strikes at every point where this company is engaged they must be made to feel the might of the revolutionary workers. Such tactics must be continued until the demands of the workers are granted so that those who do the work of the world will be able to live under conditions fit for human beings.

A word to the wise la sufficient. Class conscious rebels, get on the job, apply the wooden shoe and thus pave the way for the final overthrow of the capitalist system by the militant working class —Press Committee.

The Industrial Union Bulletin, and the Industrial Worker were newspapers published by the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) from 1907 until 1913. First printed in Joliet, Illinois, IUB incorporated The Voice of Labor, the newspaper of the American Labor Union which had joined the IWW, and another IWW affiliate, International Metal Worker.The Trautmann-DeLeon faction issued its weekly from March 1907. Soon after, De Leon would be expelled and Trautmann would continue IUB until March 1909. It was edited by A. S. Edwards. 1909, production moved to Spokane, Washington and became The Industrial Worker, “the voice of revolutionary industrial unionism.”

PDF of original issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iw/v5n15-w223-jul-03-1913-IW.pdf