The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-03-31
THIRD NATIONAL CONVEN-
TON OF THE NATIONAL
MINERS UNION
Face 20 the Field

Face 70 the Field
The Convention went into detail as TO the
basic errors and weaknesses of the Union. The
mistakes committed in the last strike OF forty
thousand miners, and repeated in Ky.-Tenn.
were discussed. Our weaknesses in conducting
local struggles for immediate demands OF the
working miners, part-tirne and the unemployed,
was gone into extensively. The Jmderestimatton
of the Importance Of organisation; our weak
activities for the needs OF the colored miners,
came in for considerable criticism. Also other
shortcomings, such as the looeeneSS Of the Union,
lack of discipline, poor dues payments, weak
defense activities etc. --@ - IS
But all the above weaknesses can be traced TO
one main weakness, namely insufficient contact
with the field. Though the Union has about
40 per cent of its membership working in the
mines as was shown by the credential report,
nevertheless, this membership has not been
given the proper organiSational forms, and is
not conscious that its main task is the develop
ing of struggles inside the mines on the basis Of
the immediate needs Of the miners In each mine.
This weakness found its reflection at the top,
namely in the fact that the national and district
leadership often lacks the knowledge Of the con-
crete situation in the field. It Is also shown by
the nature Of our demands which we adopt.
Quite often our demands are too general and do
not correspond to the concrete situation at least
they are not the demands for the removal Of
the grievances which caused the Immediate dis
content, but demands conceived by the national
and district leadership in advance. Instead Of
asking the miners to state their demands we
give them their demands. In other words,
instead Of being a union Of the miners, 1t Is e
union for the miners.
Many other weaknesses spring from our in
sufficient contact with the f1eld-narrow leader
chi TgOIy NF
racy ETC. But the worst of all is that 1t results
in spontaneous struggles, as well as struggles
not under our leadership. The Convention,
therefore, in making its keynote "face to the
field" made real start in the proper direction
Entrench the Union in the Mines
The Convention adopted new Constitution.
In this Constitution the mine branch replaces
the local as the basic union organ. We make
the mine our starting point, and give organiSa-
tional form to our membership inside the mines
This membership organized in the mine branches
will be able to take up the concrete problems of
each mine, work out the demands and develop
action around these demands. The permanently
unemployed members and blacklisted will be or
ganized into the unemployed group OF the local
union. The main tasks Of the unemployed group
are to assist the employed In their struggles, and
to develop united front with the masses of
sve struggle for the immediate needs Of the I'M
employed and unemployment insurance, at the
expense Of the coal operators and the govern
ment
The Constitution also provides for a new dues
system. The members will pay their dues on
the basis Of their earnings, beginning with five
cents each two weeks. Some will pay ten, fifteen
twenty and twenty-five cents. Thus, instead of
the bureaucratic method we had until now,
namely fifty cents month or nothing, every
member viii now have the chance to pay dues
Must Follow Up Convention
The Convention adopted many other inpor-
tant documents and many other important deci-
sionS were made. The N. NJ U. relation to the
opposition movements especially in the An
thracite and Illinois, was discussed. There was
special report and a resolution adopted on our
work amongst the colored miners resolution
on defense and resolution against war and the
defense Of the Soviet Union, as well as others.
But good resolutions were adopted In the past
also. Resolutions In themselves mean little
unless they are promptly followed up with action
This therefore, is our most important immediate
task-follow mp the work Of the Convention
This Convention must make turn in the life
OF our Union. This viii be accomplished pro-
v1ded we proceed theoretically to pue every reso-
luton and every decision made into effect IN the
quickest possible manner