The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-07-23
Lessons of the Flint Auto Strike

valuable lessons in this strike. They have
gone back to work but they do not feel de-
feated. There is not the feeling of "demoral-
ization" that characterized strikes led by the
A. F. of L. in the past The workers feel
bitter. They are retreating but not giving up
" the struggle. Just as the events moved rapid
ly so the workers learned very fast. They
went back to work after they realized that
they had been betrayed by the company union
leadership and that the militant leaders of the
Auto Workers Union have been jailed They
had no faith in the Comstocks. The Auto
Workers Union is now recognized by the work
ers as the only union of the auto workers,
despite the mistakes and shortcomings in the
conduct of the strike. The union is not dis
credited among the workers. The workers
have faith in the union. They say openly that
so long as the strike was lead by the Auto
Workers Union, the police with all their ter
ror could not stop mass picketing. They real
ize the surrender on the part of the Com
stocks. The workers refused to join the A.
F. of L. and even Comstock at least publicly
had to abandon the move.
The women workers and young workers who
constitute considerable section of the work
ers in the Fisher Body were in the forefront
of the struggle. Young girls embittered by
working 10 hours day for $3.50 day were
among the most militant in leading the mass
demonstrations. Though there are no Negro
workers involved in the strike, the workers
readily put forward the demand for the equal
ity of the Negro workers both with regards to
employment and wages.
Party Mobizes.
The District Committee of the Party has
realized the tasks ahead of it as revealed in
the Flint strike. We realized that unless we
get into action events will sweep over us. A
lessons of no Strik &c 70 ba
taken up at all the Party units The basic
lessons in the resolution are the building of
shop nuclei and shop committees. Already the
District Committee had a thorough discussion
on the lessons of the strike. A membership
meeting of the Party was held and the lessons
of the strike discussed. The Auto Workers
Union already held a membership meeting,
followed by mass meeting the largest in the
history OF the union where the lessons and
tasks of the union were taken up The Party
is working out a program of action to meet
the situation. This will call for the concen-
tration of the forces of the Party and the
Auto Workers Union on the places where
there is the greater likelihood for the develop
ment of the struggles. The district will assist
the Auto Workers Union and the T.U.UL. to
raise Immediately $4,000 to carry on the work
in preparation and organization of the coming
strike. We are going to pay greater atten-
ton to the building up Of the Daily Worker
and Labor Unity weapons not only in pre-
pairing the struggles but for the effective
leadership of these struggles. In the Flint
strike it was most obvious how important it
is for us to penetrate the workers with the
Daily Worker.
Apply Convention Decisions.
The Flint strike must not be viewed as
defeat. 1t is phase of the developing strikes
The lessons learned in this strike will furnish
valuable experience in the coming struggles.
The leadership of the Auto Workers Union,
most of whom have never participated in such
a large struggle, will now be better equipped
to lead the mass struggles. These leaders
though all their mistakes were opportunist
mistakes not be said to be lacking in mill
fancy. They made their mistakes because they
did rot yet master the strategy laid down by
the R1LU. because of inexperience. They
have seen their mistakes and readily accepted
criticism The Pcrtv membership has been
arcu~ol TO its ra7non~iNility to large extent
This was evident at the membership meeting