The U.S. fur assembly industry was once centered in New York City, with 9000 workers spread over 2000 establishments making unionizing extremely difficult. A. Bronstein, on the leadership of the Joint Board Furriers’ Union of New York, looks at the history of organizing and conditions after the 1920’s general strike.

‘Furs and the Fur Workers’ by A. Bronstein from Labor Age. Vol. 13 No. 5. May, 1924.

A PICTURE of the fur industry in Greater New York is the picture of the fur industry of the country.

The making of furs goes on in practically one market. It is located in the Greater City. There it is that practically 75 per cent. of the fur goods for wholesale distribution are manufactured. In other cities—Chicago, Philadelphia, Montreal—but little work is done, and the number of workers is consequently small.

When “a female of the species” buys a coat or mink muff or other piece of fur goods, it may have come from an animal in the wilds of Northern Canada. The skin may have been sold in the rough at the famous market at St. Louis—running back to pre-revolutionary days. But it is almost sure to have been made into the finished product on the east side of the Hudson River.

In New York City, in a word, are listed and operating close to 2,000 manufacturing establishments. In New York City a little over 9,000 workers are engaged in making fur garments and trimmings. An industry of almost 2,000 establishments with 9,000 workers, averaging less than five workers to an establishment! It is clear what huge difficulties confront a union attempting to control the labor market in such an industry. And yet, the making of furs is thoroughly organized, regulated and supervised by the Joint Board of the Furriers’ Union in the interest of the workers in the trade. How that is done may be an interesting story for more than one person outside the clothing trade.

There is both a collective and independent agreement operating in the industry. The first is made with the Associated Fur Manufacturers, usually for a period of two years. The independent agreement, running simultaneously with the collective, is made with independent manufacturers, non-members of the Association. The conditions operating in the independent shops are the same as in other shops, and therefore the agreements are practically identical in character.

The General Strikes

During the existence of the Fur Union there were three general strikes, in 1907, in 1912 and in 1920. The first two upheavals were of short duration. The workers were then not thoroughly organized. But between the years of 1912-20, the Union not only increased the wages of the workers and reduced the hours of labor. It likewise strengthened the organization and absolutely controlled the labor market in New York.

A sudden turn of events, like a cloudburst in a clear sky appeared in the spring of 1920. Manufacturers who were in the habit of getting many and large orders, were confronted with numerous cancellations of orders previously placed. The Union, conscious of its responsibility, made demands upon the Association, that in order to tide over this period the shops should operate with their full force, on time division basis. The workers thus, instead of being discharged, would still retain their positions. They would, however, work less hours and be paid pro rata for the hours worked. Conferences, as usual, were held. The manufacturers took a stubborn attitude, refusing to yield to the just demands of the Union. Likewise, they declined to offer any alternative, insisting upon their right to discharge the workers and retain those whom they wanted according to their needs. During the period of negotiations the discharges were continued. Finally the number of workers out of employment exceeded those still working in the shops. The Union was then compelled to call a general strike, in order to force the hands of the employer. On May 27th, 1920, the workers laid down their tools in the shops and came out en masse in answer to the call of the Union.

This strike lasted until December 16th, 1920, a period of seven months. Both sides were then tired and exhausted from the great struggle. There was no mistake about the motive of the Manufacturers at the time. They were out to take advantage of the market situation in order to disrupt the Union. During the strike they resorted to al kinds of tactics, even going to the extent of cutting down or entirely curtailing credits of manufacturers who had signed with the Union during the period of the struggle. They used the credit houses and the banks as weapons with which to fight the Union and the workers.

When they saw that after a six-months period they did not succeed in disrupting the organization, they gave up the attempt. The Union, on its part, realizing that it was entering a period of dull months—January and February—agreed to accept the proposition offered it. This was that the workers return to work and the agreement previously operating in the industry continue in force for one year. The main features of this agreement provided that all workers in shops must be union members, 10 legal holidays to be enjoyed by the workers with pay for same, a minimum scale of wages, time and one-half for overtime, no inside contracting, 3 months division of work and the machinery for the adjustment of disputes. This machinery consists of a representative of the Union, a representative of the Manufacturers Association and an impartial chairman of the Committee, Dr. Paul Abelson. The Conference Committee of the Fur Industry consists of five representatives of the Association, five of the Joint Board Furriers Union and the International Fur Workers Union and Dr. Judah L. Magnes, the impartial chairman.

This agreement was again renewed in the spring of 1922 in its entirety and expired on February 1st, 1924.

Peculiar Ailments of Fur

Ever since 1920, the industry has not recovered its previous normal condition. The fur industry is a seasonal industry. It has three so-called seasons, spring, summer and fall, with periods of idleness extending for weeks and sometimes months between seasons. September and October are usually the busiest months of the year. After that time a long period of slackness usually prevails. During the months of November and December “equitable division of work” operates in the shops. This enables the workers to earn something during the first part of the long slack season. But during the following two or three months, just before the spring season, there is hardly any work being done in the shops, less than 10 per cent. of the workers being engaged during these months. The workers have the same experience in between the other seasons.

The fur industry is one in which machinery plays a comparatively small part. There are four branches of work. The first is the cutting, which requires only a peculiarly shaped knife obtainable for a dollar or two. The nailing is an operation which needs but a pair of pincers, while the finishing craft of the industry is one in which the old type of Singer machine and needle and thread are the only things necessary.

The one operation that requires any kind of machinery is the operating branch, the operator using a machine somewhat similar to the one used by glove manufacturers. This machine is not an expensive one. It does not require considerable capital for the outfit of a shop to establish oneself in business. The only requirements are special skill and knowledge of the method of putting the skins together, rather than any machinery.

“In Business For Themselves’’

Due largely to this lack of machinery, it becomes very easy for two or three competent and skilled workers to form a co-partnership. They hire a small room and “establish themselves in business.” Lacking capital wherewith to buy skins and establish a sufficient credit, they proceed to underbid the cost of production to the manufacturer inside of his own shop. Thus they persuade and induce him to give out to them skins to be made into garments at a much lower figure than it has cost him to make up those same garments inside his own shop. They are able to compete with the inside workers of the shop because they are “bosses” for and over themselves. Thus they escape the regulations of the Union as to hours, holiday stoppages, etc. By disregarding all the standards which regulate the shops in the industry they work incessantly long hours. “Only to be independent of bosses,” they become slaves to themselves.

The workers of the trade are thus put in a peculiar situation. Not only do they have to overcome the usual competition between one worker and another, especially during the dull seasons. They also have to overcome the unfair advantages of such contractors. This accounts for the great number of so-called fur establishments, bringing their number up to close to two thousand, (1700 listed and probably 200 or more unlisted) as against 9,000 workers engaged in the industry. This is and has been the greatest obstacle that the fur workers have to contend with.

These small “‘co-partnership” establishments are not even contractors in the true sense of the word. They are not tied down to any one given shop. Nor is any shop bound to give them work. The manufacturer who gives them work has no other responsibility to them.

The Demands of 1924

The agreement functioning in the industry provides for two months negotiations for a new one prior to the expiration of the old agreement. It was with this in view that the Joint Board formed its demands for the features to be put into the new agreement for 1924. Among these were five of the most important, consisting of (1) an increase over the then existing minimum wage. (2) Regulation of the number of apprentices. (3) A further extension of the period of division of work to operate in the shops during the dull seasons. (4) A control over the contracting establishments, and (5) the introduction of an unemployment insurance fund for the workers.

These were the major demands of the Union, the results of which were as follows: The Union obtained an increase over the minimum wage amounting to 12-1/2 per cent. The number of “learners” to be admitted to the industry limited to 10 per cent. of the members of the organization in a given year. An agreement in principle reached on an insurance fund for the industry. A committee is to be appointed with the privilege of engaging experts to study the “ways and means” of securing such a fund. They will, within the course of one year, have to bring in feasible plans for the installation of the fund. The contracting establishments have been covered to the extent that no manufacturer is permitted to give out work to any contractor unless said contractor is himself an employer of labor, employing not less than five workers in his shop. This shop must be under the control of the Union and he himself must employ only union workers. As for the demand for an extension of division of work period; a clause has been inserted wherein the Association binds itself to devise some plan, should an emergency in unemployment conditions arise in the industry. Thus the Union has made still further advances in the new agreement, meaning improved conditions for the makers of furs.

It has reduced the hours of labor from 59 to 55, then to 48, and finally to 44 hours a week. It has correspondingly increased the wages of workers double and quadruple. It has curbed the appetite of the employers, tightened the reins over the contractors, and in general brought order and established standards in an industry, chaotic prior to the coming of the Joint Board Furriers Union.

Labor Age was a left-labor monthly magazine with origins in Socialist Review, journal of the Intercollegiate Socialist Society. Published by the Labor Publication Society from 1921-1933 aligned with the League for Industrial Democracy of left-wing trade unionists across industries. During 1929-33 the magazine was affiliated with the Conference for Progressive Labor Action (CPLA) led by A. J. Muste. James Maurer, Harry W. Laidler, and Louis Budenz were also writers. The orientation of the magazine was industrial unionism, planning, nationalization, and was illustrated with photos and cartoons. With its stress on worker education, social unionism and rank and file activism, it is one of the essential journals of the radical US labor socialist movement of its time.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/laborage/v13n05-may-1924-LA.pdf