The earliest record
we possess for Local 44, the Local for workers at the city's Jewish
bakeries, is the letterpress book of Adolf Kebernik, Recording Secretary
of the Local, which begins
January 2, 1917 and ends June 17, 1919 (AIS 78:21, vol. 1).
Fortunately, these
letters, unlike the Yiddish minutes of the Local, are in English.
Some are rather remarkable, like this one to a famous and controversial
Filmmaker who was stopping over in Pittsburgh (p. 1):
Jan. 2, 1917
[To:]
Mr. David W. Griffith
Creator of Intolerance* [*an epic movie]
William Penn Hotel
Pittsburgh, Pa
Dear
Sir:
As per your
wish am sending you five names and address of wives of our
members:
Mrs.
B. Abramovitz 412 Logan Street
Mrs.
Nettie Abilson, 1204 Colwell Street
Mrs.
Agnes Gursky, 315 Dinwiddie Street
Mrs.
Dora Knopf, 716 Watts Lane
Mrs.
Dora Stuck, 2130 Webster Av.
Your "Intolerance" made a great impression upon me it is
very artistic and educational it
is recomended not only by Union Labor but by Socialists too.
Hoping you produce more and
teach us to love our strugle for better conditions.
Yours very Respectfully,
Adolf
Kebernik, Sec[retary] |
Preparation of a
standard contract to be signed by all of the owners was an
essential function of Local 44. In this letter, Kebernik explains some of
the provisions in the contract proposed for 1917 to Charles Iffland,
the Bakery Workers International Secretary
(pp. 14-15):
March 5, 1917
[To:] Mr. Chas.
Iffland Inter[national] Sec[retary]
212 Bush Temple
Chicago, Ill
Dear Sir &
Brother:
Replying to you letter of the 1st inst regarding explanation of
article 6, section b, in our new agreement. The first part
of said section means to prevent our employers to compell us to
start work at various hours at night. The second part of
said section means to start work the next day on the same time
as today, if not the same time the employer shall say - tomorrow
we will start one or two hours earlier or later. In some
our shops it is very often when the man comes with his lunch to
work the boss orders him to come one or two hours later and
often 3-4 hours later.
I hope you will understand that the section B, of article 6, is
a slow but steady effort to abolish the night work and establish
the eight hour to start the work, then we will be able to devote
our time for more education.
With kind regards and best wishes, I am,
Yours Fraternally,
Adolf Kebernik, Sec[retary] |
The annual contract
went into effect each year on May 1 (the International Labor
Day). Two weeks prior, the
Local sent registered letters to the bakery owners Summoning
them to appear at the Labor Lyceum on May 1 to endorse the new contract
(pp. 17-18):
April 17, 1917
[To:] Caplan Baking
Co.
75 Logan St.
Gentlemen:
I was instructed by our union to submit to you our new agreement
which is to go in force the first of May.
Our local union is awaiting your endorsement at our hall in
Labor Lyceum, Miller & Reed St. on April 26th between the
hours of 2-4 p.m.
Hoping you will appear without fail, remain,
Respectfully yours,
Adolf Kebernik, Sec[retary]
|
The Local disagreed
with the International's decision to withdraw an organizer from
Pittsburgh (p. 45):
October 8, 1917
Special Delivery
[To:] Mr. Chas Iffland, Inter[national] Sec[retary]
212 Bush Temple
Chicago, Ill
Dear Sir &
Brother:
The undersigned is authorized upon report of our delegates, of
to the J.E.B. by the above local union to notify the J.E.B. that
we do not agree with the decision and cannot receive it with
good grace in reference to not reinstating Organizer Kerker.
At the present time when there is a good opportunity of
organizing Pittsburgh and surrounding and also a great chance of
addressing the different strikers, bring our label before them,
we therefore request his service for a period of 4 weeks or that
some other organizer be immediately sent here.
Hoping that our request shall be granted I'll beg to remain with
kind greetings,
Yours Fraternally,
Adolf Kebernik, Sec[retary]
|
Night work was
abolished in the bakeries as part of the 1919 contract. Here
the Local notifies the owners of their intent in February 1919 (p. 73):
Feb. 17, 1919
[To:] Master Baker M.
Barrish
1301 Colwell St.
City
Dear Sir:
The Joint Executive Board of Allegheny County of our
International Union decided that night work in bake shops must
be abolished. Our local union unanimously confirmed the
decision of the J.E.B. and instructed me to notify you to
prepare your shop from the 1st of May 1919 for day work only.
Hoping that the day work will be beneficiary not only to the
worker but to the employer also.
Yours Respectfully,
Adolf Kebernik, Sec[retary]
|
Same letter sent to the following
on February 17, 1919: |
Caplan
Baking Co.
75 Logan St. |
Simon
Caplan Glantz Co.
143 Fullerton St. |
M. Graner
1620 Centre Av. |
M. Schwartz
1701 Centre Av. |
S.
Fisherman
15 Townsend St. |
Sam
Schwartz
2222 Webster Av. |
H. Abilson
89 Logan St. |
|