The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-05-01
PRE- CONVENTION DISCUSSION
YOUNG COMMUNIST LEAGUE. u. S. A.
Factory Work in the Bronx

GENERAL months ago the Bronx section was
actively engaged in factory work Comrades
we're working in Phillips Jones, Polynet and
Dubi1ier. From this period of factory work, we
can draw many lessons.
For instnce. how did the comrades make con-
tacts7 One comrade walked home with work
er. don't know what they talked about. When
they came to the house, the comrade noticed the
address and handed it into the unit as con-
tact. In one case a Conrade got contact" by
finding an addressed envelop belong to work
er In the shop. Another contact. Some con-
facts were genuine ones However, these phoney
contacts piled up. In one case, when the work
er was visited by comrade, she did all but
throw him out Of the house Comrades did not
know how to get contacts in the factory. In
stead of speaking to the workers on the inne-
diate conditions the comrades were interested in
piling up a big list. Such list which was not
entirely composed Of workers sympathetic to-
yards organization helped to create illusions in
our minds
The comrades who worked in the shops made
little or no effort to learn how to carry on work.
Almost every time that the question regarding a
particular shop came UP, these comrades were
not present There was almost complete iso1a-
section and unit executives. There wasn't
enough cooperation between the T.U.UL. and
the comrades involved in the work. In one case,
wage cut took place in the Polymet and the
comrades didn't know until several days later.
Had the comrades been in closer contact with
the leading committees, there might have been
some action.
During the course OF the work, it became evi-
committee, did not have clear idea of the
meaning of immediate demands. There was no
perspective of struggle. Finally meeting of
the section committee was called with the dis
trict organizer. It became clear that every shop
has some condition around which it would be
possible to rally workers. For instance, workers
in a machine shop get two pieces Of soap for
every five workers They need five pieces. It
was possible to elect a committee to demand
that the boss comply. He did. The workers
realized that only through organization and
struggle can the workers get their demands.
Such struggles very often become struggles for
greater concessions They are raised to higher
levels. Through struggle for simple demands.
the prestige Of the organization that started
things. Will grow
| After 1t became clear what is meant by ill1n1e-
date demands, the comrades in the Poymet
raised the demand for toilet paper This was re-
peated seven times in the bulletin. This is de-
mand that appears ridiculous in the eyes of the
workers Comrades in the factories should ask
the workers what grievances they have. We
must raise demands that the workers think are
important. demands that they are willing to
fight for. We must not bring forward demands
that WE believe are right. They might be. but
the worker may not be willing to fight for them
They will fight for demands that they feel are
theirs. During the course Of the struggle for
their demands we can usually raise other de-
mands which the workers begin to see are essen
tial for their welfare
The work. which we carried on, resulted in
three shop bulletins at one time Only one Of the
bulletins was good. Why? In the first place
we had concrete information regarding the shop
In the second place about six comrades wrote
and discussed the articles. 1t was real piece Of
collective work. Too often the making Of a bull
letin Is left to one or two comrades.
A very serious problem arose in putting out
bulletins. In whose name should it be issue? In
the name Of the League? Or the T.U.UL? Or
the shop group? Some comrades took the atti-
tude that the League is Of greatest importance.
Therefore bulletins must be put out In It's name.
This Is perhaps one reason why we have not
built mass trada unions. The League Will auto-