The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-10-01
Union Movement
Cultural and Educational Work in the
Revolutionary Trade Unions

Revolutionary Trade Unions
The development of systematic mass cultural
and educational work must be carried on with
the active participation of the Federation of
Cultural Organizations and is to consist of lee
lures and discussions on trade union and gen.
eral political themes concerts movies question
and-answer evenings, family parties; in order to
develop the lower trade union fmctionary and
to equip them with the knowledge of the theory
and practice of the trade union movement, we
must begin the organization in certain industrial
districts, first in New York and Pittsburgh, of
trade union courses for the loweS trade union
wog&ers on Sundays.
The TUUL must consider the organization in
New York of special short term courses for the
theoretical preparation of active workers of the
revolutionary trade union movement Together
with this we must take care of organizing
series of reports by the leading trade union
functionaries in the Sunday workers schools
In order to carry through successfully sys-
tematic agitatonal propaganda and cultural work.
it is necessary to create cultural commissions in
the central and local organizations of the TUUL
and in the existing independent revolutionary
trade unions. These commissions, headed by one
of the elected members of the given trade union
organ must consist of from five to seven mem
bers, with additional active rank and file pro-
letarians to be drawn in. The cultural commits
sion must work according to plan accepted by
the leading organ of the given trade union or
ganization which is included in the general plan
of work Of the corresponding trade union organ
The duties Of the agit-prop or cultural COM,
mission consists of: a. the preparation of plan
for trade union mass campaigns; b. preparation
of material for worker agtators; g organization
of lectures, discussions excursions, trade union
evenings of questions and answers workers par
ties, ETC.; ID organization of special workers
agitation groups or brigades and the nstruc-
ton of these on questions of the practical con-
duct of the respective mass campaign; e) the
issuing Of special leaflets, pamphlets ETC.; u
all possible assistance in the distribution of the
trade union organ, the recruiting of subscribers,
and readers, the institution of workers CORE
spondence, and the assistance in the issuing OF
factory papers, etc.
In the organization of the systematic organi-
rational propaganda and cultural work in the
revolutionary trade unions and the Federation
of Workers Cultural Organizations can render
invaluable service. This Federation itself is in
need of the support of the revolutionary move
ment for the purpose of regulating its normal
work and becoming strong mass militant au-
Hillary organization Of the proetariat.
Work Among Negroes
In the sphere of work among the Negroes the
IOOL revolutionary trade unions IN tne UnlteQ
States have achieved a number of successes
But this work must be still more strengthened
and enforced. 1t is necessary to mobilize the
widest masses of Negroes for the common strug-
gle against the offensive of capital against the
practice of firing the Negroes first and substitute
ing them with white workers, for the immediate
relief of uneneooyed Negro workers on unequal
basis with the white workers, for social insur-
ance at the expense of the government and the
bosses, and that this be distributed equally
among white and black workers, against white
chauvnsm, against lynching, etc.
The very instructive experience in Chicago
should serve lesson and should be utilized
in other districts in the United States Special
attention must be given to the strengthening
of the work among the Negroes in the southern
states, to draw them into the ranks OF the revo-
lutionary trade unions and electing them into
various organs We must organize in the exist
ing Negro sections of the TUUL and trade
unions broad group of active members and :.
utilize them for the work among the Negro
masses, not losing sight of at the same time
the necessity for drawing them into the general
trade union work
White workers must also be attached to the
sections and commissions of the Negro workers.
The organs Of the trade union press must give
considerable space and attention to the question
OF the conditions Of the Negro workers, To the