The west Pennsylvania town of New Castle sees 3500 workers, men and women, strike the metal mills organized by both A.F.L. unions and the I.W.W.’s Tin Mil Workers Industrial Union No. 298, contrasting the both the method and membership of craft and industrial unionism.

‘I.W.W. in New Castle Going Strong’ by Frank Morris. from Industrial Worker. Vol. 1 No. 26. September 9, 1909.

NEW CASTLE STRIKE I. W.W. IS GROWING

On July 1st the men of the “Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers” came out against the open shop order of the American Steel and Tin Plate Co.

The open shop order and a reduction in tonnage of the hot mill men constituted the grievance of the A.A. men.

On July 15th the “Tin Plate Workers Protective Association,” which covers the finishing or tin house department, came out against the open shop.

The reason for the two weeks’ delay of the tin house men was because of the difference in the dates on which their contracts expired.

About 3500 men are involved, less than half of whom are organized, and of these only sixteen per cent were paid up in dues three weeks prior to the calling of the strike.

The number involved in the strike includes hot mill and tin house men of two mills, the Shenango and the Greer.

The mechanical departments of these mills, which includes machinists, millwrights, etc., remained at work.

Chas. McKeever, an electrical engineer employed at the Shenango mill, organized the assorters (girls) of that mill, into the I.W.W., also the men of the mechanical department, about four hundred and fifty (450) altogether.

At a meeting of this organization (Tin Mil Workers Industrial Union No. 298, I.W.W.) it was agreed upon that if any of the men were discharged for activity in organizing, that all should cease work.

A few days later the superintendent of the Shenango mill walked into the engine room and handed McKeever his time.

“All right,” said McKeever, and he walked over to the whistle rope and gave it a long pull. “What does that mean?” asked the superintendent. “It means,” answered McKeever, “you’ve got another strike on your hands.”

This was about four o’clock in the forenoon, an hour and a half before quitting time.

The men heard the whistle, knew it was the signal to strike, and inside of ten minutes every man and girl had walked out, leaving all machinery running at full speed.

The master mechanic and the superintendent were kept busy for about two hours shutting down the works.

This is a fine sample of Industrial Union’ methods. No notice given the company, no waiting for contracts to expire, but at a given signal every man walks out, leaving the mill deserted. On the other hand the A. A., which organizes only the highly paid skilled workers, tied their men up with contracts, making immediate action impossible.

The “Pennsylvania Cossacks” (state constabulary) were on the job hare and tried several times to start riots.

Scabs and Patriots.

On one occasion a bunch of strike breakers were unloaded at the depot, hauled in, of course, by “union” railroad men. They marched down the street to the mill, each scab being armed with a couple of revolvers and a bottle of booze, and the majority of them being drunk.

The “cossacks” were on the job to crack heads in case of trouble, but nothing came off.

About a week ago, the “cossacks” were withdrawn, owing, presumably, to the coming to light of a little escapade of the sheriff of this county, an inveterate enemy of the strikers.

At present things are quiet; a few scabs are working in the mills; some are being brought in and some are leaving.

The I.W.W., the A. A. and Tin Workers unions have agreed that no deal will be made with the company by any of these organizations, unless all are considered together.

The I.W.W. men have been active in organizing the unorganized men of the mills who were not eligible to membership in the other organizations, and the I.W.W. organizations have now about five hundred members in two locals.

A convention has been called for October 1st for the purpose of uniting all the employes of the steel and tin plate mills into a National Industrial Union of the I.W.W.

The I.W.W. has opened a relief station here which is in charge of the striking assorters (girls), and money is coming in very rapidly for the relief of the strikers.

The Socialist party local of this place has been forced, by the growth of Industrial Union sentiment, to turn over its paper, the “Free Press,” to the I.W.W. during the strike.

Other workers outside the mills are beginning to see the necessity of industrial organization. Applications for membership are coming in every day, and we feel assured that after this strike is over that this will be a great Industrial Union center.

The workers readily grasp the principles of Industrial Union, and very little attention is paid to the politicians.

Two local preachers have come out for the I.W.W. A few more good men could be used to great advantage in this district, as all of us are kept busy night and day.

All is quiet at present in the strike district with “bulls” patrolling the company property.

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.”

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