Part 3 - Hard Times and Picket Lines: The 30s and the CIO

The third episode of New Yorkers at Work delves into the formation of the Committee for Industrial Organizations (CIO) out of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in the 1930s. Men and women who participated in unions during the era recall the appalling working conditions, the rampant unemployment, the lack of social safety nets, and the struggle to create a larger organization to help them achieve their goals, in the face of unsympathetic employers and an unresponsive AFL.
Narrators Martha Greenhouse and Frederick O'Neal provide historical context and bridge gaps in the story, while Oscar Brand and others perform folk songs between the spoken word portions of the episode.

The program begins with a performance of "This Land is Your Land." Frederick O'Neal talks about the New Deal and the formation of the CIO.

Al Robbins recalls the lack of employment opportunity. Ken Sherbell talks about working in a dry goods business; conditions were "horrendous" - workers were sent home if they were sunburnt or played softball.

"The Banks are Made of Marble" is performed.

Al Robbins talks about applying for shipping jobs as a seaman. Bob Mackleroy also discusses the situation for seamen,
Loretta Zeliger talks about the poor quality of food. This is reiterated by Ken Sherbell; he talks about attending school and the conflicts from work.

Zeliger talks about the poor circumstances women faced.

"I'm Stickin' to the Union" is performed. O''Neal describes the threefold plan for organization:
1. To organize industrial workers.
2. To organize the unemployed.
2. To generate federal legislation for social security, unemployment insurance and other workers rights.

Louis Weinstock of the painter's union describes the attempt to create the formation of a committee in the AFL. Many workers were in fact fired. He championed the Lundeen Bill. He took it to the 1932 meeting of the AFL unsuccessfully. This was part of the switch from craft unionism to industrial unionism. This led to the CIO - the Committee for Industrial Organizations - being created within the AFL.

Greenhouse discusses the CIO and the Wagner Act.

Bill Michaelson of the United Store Workers Union describes the desires of the workers and unionists in the depression. Sam Cobanetzky talks about the same. Zeliger talks about organizing for the union. Bertha McGowan talks about her experiences with unions. Mackleroy talks about some of the people he met who were organizers.
George Mizler talks about getting fired from his job because of his organization efforts. He talks about a looming strike at his former shop. The strike was settled when La Guardia helped settled it.

Greenhouse describes the success of the CIO, which far outstripped the contemporaneous successes of the AFL. Many were still unorganized, O'Neal notes.

Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection

WNYC archives id: 92584