The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-01-11
By JOHN WILLIAMSON.
Continued from, Last Issue.)

Apprenticeship today, outside of
the few skilled trades where it is still
problem, is for one of two pur
poses-either skilled all around re-
pair men or to turn out foremen and
supervisors.
Altho the trades union craft struc-
ture is Anticipated and not in keeping
with industrial development, some
still cling to the old outworn formu-
laes, altho even that is disappearing,
as l have shown above. In some of
these where the apprenticeship quail
fications still exist they are a dead
letter while in others they are used
to attempt to build an artificial fence
around the union and thus get
greater economic security for those
who hold membership.
The Left Wing Policy
The Left Wing must have posi-
tive attitude towards this question.
It is not sufficient to hide our head
in the sand and try and ignore the
problem. Where apprenticeship still
is a problem the Left Wing must
raise the demand for equal rights
within the unions for apprentices
with journeymen and also try to in
crease the wage scale which is based
m a graduated system yearly. In
those trades where it is artificial the
Left Wing must eliminate these rem
nants of the nineteenth century,
pointing out that instead of bring
ing greater security to the union it
will finally bring ruin, as these
young workers who are excluded will
be used by the bosses later for scabs.
instead of artificially excluding the
youth, the Left Wing should raise
the slogan of all-inclusive unioniza-
ton.
Vocational Training
Amongst a group Of specialists
vocational training has become a
hobby. Until 1915 the A. F. L..
vas hostile to vocational training cor.
rectly pointing out that it was an in
3trument of the bosses to undermine
The unions. Today the A. F. of L.
leadership is a booster. This is in
line with the general class collabora-
ton policies of the burocrats The
present system of vocational train
ing does not have for it's purpose a
thororgh training of the young
worker entering industry. in the
theory and practice of the trade and
industry but rather is a makeshift
method of turning out "20th cen
fury mechanic" who will be able to
work for less than the union scale.
Boss Union Schools
The present vocational schools
where the unions are interested are
run on a joint Boss Union basis. The
Left Wing must fight against the
present system of vocational train
ing, advocating in contrast the
"Worl. School, method.
AS preliminary demand the Left
Wing should propagate amongst the
unions for the adoption of the idea
that all existing vocational training
schools, where the union is interested
should be under the complete con-
troll Of the union while the young
workers attending such schools for
three or four hours per day must
receive full trade union rates at these
schools from the bosses.
Youth and Company Unionism
While Company Unionism was on
the increase up to 1928 we see a
slowing down taking place the last
couple of years. Company Unionism
flourishes best in plants having large
scale production (Which plants gen.
orally employ YOUTH. Company
Unionisln is thus becoming pro-
blem affecting the youth. The social,
sport, competitive and many times