The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-08-05
Trying Year Of 1919 Marks
Real Beginning Of Soviet
Railroad Workers Union
BY J. LOUIS ENGDAHL.

l Union that now numbers more than 100000 mem
bers in the Soviet Union, laid in the trying year OF
1919 This was not achieved without struggle In fact
the greatest efforts had to be exered to put down the
correct basis on which to build the superstructure Of
the organization
The March, 1917, revolution that destroyed czarism
released new era of organzational growth for the
Russian working class. But conscious effort along
correct organzatonal lines to have been lacking
at first among the great masses of the workers IN
stead of Immediately building an al-lnclusive organlza
ton for the whole transportation industry there sprang
up mushroom growth of craft unions in the shops anc
in the operating departments.
The Communist Party alone launched campaign tol
the organization of shop unions in an effort to break
down craft lines.
Alexis Amassow the present general secretary Of the
Railroad Workers Union, with two other comrades
headed the drive for the organization OF the shop WORK
ers Amassow is himself a metal worker. The move
ment with considerable success Between the Marcf
and the November Revolutions, in 1917 the number OF
organized railroad workers grew from 5000 to 22OOO
It was a very loose form of organization, however
There were no dues books. The payment OF dues was
entirely voluntary. The craft unions that were organ
lied were very conservative in their outlook This con
dition prevailed from the Nov. 7th Q91) Revolution
until the year 1919 During this period IA differen
craft organizations maintained more or less separate
existence the railroads.
In 1919, however there was an alI-incusve congress
that laid the basis for the organization of union to
t. entire transportation industry. 1t was upon thu
sound basis created 1919 during the trying months
the imperalist attack against the Soviet Union IN az
of the civil wars and Intervention that the present pow
erful organization was built.
The union today, with its 1,O872oO members (Jan
1927 includes all but 212 per cent Of the worker
EMPLOYED in the industry. This small percentage o
non-union membership takes in workers temporary
employed of them peasants who intend to return
shortly to the land.
sThere is no skilled worker at present unemployed o.
the railroads of the Soviet Union said Secretary Amas
SOW in discussing the unemployed situation in the In
dustry. Moscow, May, 1929
eve are always exerting ourselves to increase tn
efficiency of working force" continued AmassoW
inefficient help is always displaced with efficien
workers wherever possible The wages of the railroad
workers are divided into "a categories Of wages Gen
era or unsked workers. included in the first min
categories The best qualified workers are included
the categores from nine to 49, including such worker
as machnist engineers and the lower categories of ad
ministratve workers The categores from 10 to "a in
clude the higher administrative workers.
There is small difference in the wages of the loves
and the highest categories in comparison to czaris
days when administrative officials received from 30
go times as much the wage workers.
Gan effort is made each year to augment the wage
of the railroad workers." said Amassow "The increase
go first to the lowest paid categories"
Eight hours is basic workday. Double time TO
all overtime after eight hours is paid"
Comrade AmassoW gave me the answers to a list @
questions concerning the railroad workers Two
these are published today follows:
Economic Progress in the U. S. S. R.
QUESTION-Can you give some data on economi
achievements in the Union of Soviet Republics and tn
part played by the railroads?
ANSWER.-The aggregate agricultural output ha
increased from $3.50 of the prewar level in 1929
$3.50 of that level in 1925-26 The aggregate indus
trial output has grown from 34.7@o in 1929 to $50
Of the pre-war level in 1885. Taken in absolute fig
ures the aggregate agricultural output has increase
from 7S billion prewar roubes in 1929 to 1913 bill
lion pre-war roubles in 1885, showing increase
1920 during this period In regard to the aggregate in
dustria output find the following absolute figures
1949,O00,OOO pre-war roubles in 1929, and 5,215
900 900 in 1925-26, or increase of 2749o.
The average figure of the number of people empoye
in 1922 1,243,000 workers; that figure in
creased to 1550OOO in June 1925 1.-THE reference is
the large industrial establishments alone), and
1S98,000 in June 1928, i. during the twelve-mont
from June 1925 to June 1926 we have increas
of than 100000 people in the foremost ranks
the industrial proletarat.
Tie total wages the income of the proetariat in 1925
49, constituted 20 per cent of the national income
192425 it already to 281 per cent of the nations
income in USSR e., during such brief period
increased from 20 per cent to 281 per cent nearl
one and a half times
Financial Results of the Working of the UsSR Rail
ways from 1924 to 1926-27