The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-01
STRIKE STRATEGY

the fascist A. F. of L. and socialist party bu-
reaucratS out OF The labor movement.
The errors of the New York shoe workers
lockout and the fake cloak strike is a good
example OF lack Of preparations, and of an in
creased ap proach to the struggles of the work
err. Although there was plenty of warning
Of the lockout of the shoe workers, the lead
er.hp of lhe revolutionary union made no
preparations for it. Under the direction of the
Labor Department, Commissioner Wood in
structed certain employers with their consent,
of course) to break their contract with the H.
dependent Shoe Workers Union on the grounds
that it was under the control of the Conmu-
mist Party which the bosses very gladly did
lHs,lad OF the leadership of the union calling
upon the sank and file to Immediately organize
a rank and tile committee against the lock-
out they passed a resolution protesting to
Mayor Walker against the interference of the
Department of Labor in the business affairs
of the union; waited until the lockout was put
into effect, then declared strike. But, they
made practically no effort to broaden the strike
committees, held the hope for months that a
favorable settlement could De made. The work
ers put up 90 militant struggle, many were
dubbed an jailed, but the policy and strike
strategy was wrong, which led them to defeat
Cloak Strike Mistake
AS in the shoe lockout, So in the fake cloak
strike-agreed to by the bosses and called by
the socialist leadership of the I.L.G.W. COM
pany union. Our leadership of the Needle
Trades Workers Industrial Union failed to
step into the strike leadership, failed to take
advantage of this favorable opportunity. Al
though notice of the impending fake strike
was given for weeks, the policy was; 1t is
fake str,ke-why have anything to do with
a fake strike. The slogans, "Turn the fake
trik into Sf ika opiy oply apJ
file strike committees" came too late. The OPP
portunity was lost and the company union
strengthened themselves in the cloak field, and
the N.T.W.IU. is just now beginning to get
organizational foothold among the cloak
makers. The errors of these and of other
strikes must not be repeated.
The basic task of the strike committee is to
completely tie up the plant by drawing all
the workers into active participation for the
demands of the workers-the organizational
objective must be a 100 per cent strike. The
demands o, the strike may be of a very ele-
mentary chars cter at the beginning of strike
New strike slogans should be raised in the
course Of the struggle, including political de-
mands, depending of course, upon new stu
atoms and changing conditions Today, the
Importance of the demand fol the 7-hour, s.
day week and unemployment insurance should
be brought forward in every fundamental
strike.
Elexibility Necessary.
The strike committee cannot operate on the
principle 1--WE win everything or we lose every
thing. Revolutionary class warfare demands
flexibility an understanding of the day-to-
day tactics of the strike, and the ability to
understand how to maneuver so as to be able
to determine whether change in the relation
ship between the workers and the employers,
benefits and strengthens the workers in any
proposed compromise that falls short of the
original objective. While we must guard against
unnecessary rigidity, the main danger is and
will be, the readiness to compromise. This
danger becomes less to the extent that the
strike committees are broad, including the I'M
skilled as the dominant element, and to the
extent that they understand the program of
action of the T.U.U.L. and revolutionary strike
strategy.
Democratic elections of strike committees
must be followed by the strictest inner dis
cpline. This is fundamental necessity to
the success of the strike. Any task assigned
by the strike committee to any member, must
be carried through. To leave it to the whim
of every individual to whether they will or
will not carry out decision would be ruinous.
Those who will not carry out the decision of
the strike committee must be recalled by the
strikers and others elected to their place.