 The Industrial Workers of the World ( <unk> or " <unk> " ) , though much @-@ reduced from their <unk> as militant labor organizers in the early years of the century , hoped to <unk> the Six Companies workers by <unk> on their discontent . They sent eleven organizers , several of whom were arrested by Las Vegas police . On August 7 , 1931 , the company cut wages for all tunnel workers . Although the workers sent away the organizers , not wanting to be associated with the " <unk> " , they formed a committee to represent them with the company . The committee drew up a list of demands that evening and presented them to Crowe the following morning . He was <unk> . The workers hoped that Crowe , the general superintendent of the job , would be sympathetic ; instead he gave a scathing interview to a newspaper , describing the workers as " <unk> " . 
