The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-03-19
.LOSOVSKY WRITES
UPON The THREE.
KINDS OF UNIONS
Their Attitude Toward
Capitalist Society
BY A. LosoVsKY.
General Secretary Of the Red Inter
national of Labor Unions.

conscious point Of view and those of
non-class viewpoint Among those
with class conscious viewpoint we
can count the principal trade union
bodies Of Germany, England, France,
Italy and the Scandinavian countries,
which in their programs, resolutions,
ETC., pointed out the class struggle
and which theoretically at least, were
opposed to class collaboration.
The non-class unions, were those
which in their programs, declared
openly for cooperation between
classes and for social peace; these
were the catholic, democratic, protes-
tants and other unions. We should
also count here the yellow unions,
which theoretically recognized the
class and social peace, but, in prac-
tice had been conducting class strug.
gle-but not on the side Of the work.
ers; rather on the side Of the bour-
geoisie. This is the first grouping
which divided the great mass Of or
ganized workers and which is the
primary classification of the trade un.
ions existing at that time.
Three theological Groups.
But this rough division of the class
and non-class is, in itself, not enuf
if we do not explain what the class
unions at that time really were.
Examining that part of the unions
which, before the war, united about
three-fourths of all organized workers
on class basis, we can point out in
general three political groupings
which had been formed during a long
historical period On one side was
trade Notwithstanding here trade un-
ionism as a certain theological and Do
litical movement-then anarcho-syndi-
calism and third, social-democratic
trade unions. These are the three diff
ferent clear political divisions into
which the class trade union move.
ment was divided. Let us take UP the
characteristics of each of these move.
ments.
First-Trade Unionism.
What do we understand in the trade
/ NH%OA AAbCA obuA . anu u0QGT
trade unionism? This name, which
was adopted from the Anglo-Saxon
countries, became during the long per-
Iiod of development of the English and
American trade union movement not
only an external formula or symbol
for certain trade union in a certain
country, but it represented also a
certain theological and political con-
tent of the trade union movement.
Under trade unionism we understand
such form Of the labor and trade
union movement which has for its pur.
pose only the narrow economic prob
lens of lettering conditions of labor,
higher wages, etc.
Trade unionism is a theory which
has grown out of the practical Anglo
Saxon labor movement, which in fact
does not have in its program, in
theory or in practice, the overthrowal
of capitalism, but only the betterment
of conditions within the capitalist
system.
Thinks Capitalism Permanent.
So the main characterization Of
trade unionism (also a characterize
ton of reformism, which is under
stood widely outside the borders of
Anglo-Saxon countries) is the strug.
gle within the frame of the capitalist
system and the conception of that
system as permanent one within the
| frame of which we have to struggle
and better the conditions of the work.
ing class. Most Of the practical and
theoretical workers Of the Anglo
Saxon labor movement openly con-
strued the problems of the trade union
only in the sense of lettering the
conditions of the working class under
/ capitalism and even put up the theory
Of the existence of three main factors,
labor, capital, and society (public).
What the trade union leaders under.
stood by the public" somewhat re-
minds us in Russia of our term "the
third element" There was such third
element in the zemstvo Councils
of the rural citizenry), the intelligen-
zia, which was effectively counted as
revolutionary but which played
somewhat separate role between the
two main struggling classes. Under
public" they understood that part OF
the bourgeoisie which under the pres.
sure Of the working class came TO the
conclusion OF the usefulness Of the
gradual betterment OF the conditions
OF labor in the interests Of capital
itself.
Conditions Force AmaIsamatlon.
The further characterization of the
trade union form Of the labor move.
ment in It's organizational division
(structure) and the domination of the
local over the general interest. These
local or craft organizations which
have been built up during decades
still retain their local power at the
present time, Notwithstanding the fact
that objective conditions force the |
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