The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-01-18
FORWARD to Revolutionary Steel Workers
Industrial Union of 200 Branches by April

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"a revolutionary union in the steel
and metal industry with minimum
Of 5000 active dues paying members
and 200 functiontng department
groups welded into mill branches
throughout the country by April was
the perspective and goal set by the
first meeting of the National Com
mittee for building the Steel Work
ers Industrial Union in its recent
meeting in Pittsburgh
The National Committee, composed
Of 20 members from the steel Centers
Of Pittsburgh, CI1icago-Gary, Young
stown and Baltimore districts, was
elected at the conference Of steel
workers, held Oh the eve of the oct,
1st wage-cut on September u.
Aside from the members Of the Na-
tional Committee, 10 leading rank
snd-fils steel workers from the steel
towns Of Monesson, Mcgeesport,
B1awnoz steubenvllle, Weirtor,
Toronto, Gary, Indiana Harbor, War
rem, Ohio and many other centers
were present and participated in the
sessions.
John Meldon, Secretary Of the
Metal Workers Industrial League,
gave the National report, calling a
national convention in the industry
on April IS, Is, II, to form the union.
The report for the Trade Union Unity
League, was made by VIM. 2. Foster.
The convention will be held in Pitts
burgh.
Must Build Union In 3 Months
In his report to the National Com
mittee, Meldon stated that the M. W.
1. L., during the past four months,
had rooted itself in the steel industry
sufficiently to start campaign for
a national convention to form the
union within three months. He re-
ported an active membership of 1900
members and 100 department groups
and mill and shop branches. 1.-The
union must be built during the next
three months period, based on strug-
gle of the employed and unemployed
steel workers." Meldon said.
In dealing with shortcomings and
weaknesses Of the M. W. 1. L. In his
report, he stated. Although the M. W.
I. L. has made significant progress in
the face of tremendous difficulties,
this progress does not in any way
fit in with the possibilities afforded by
the objective situation prevailing in
the industry today. The almost COM
plete absence of struggle in the indus
try under our leadership must be re-
congnized by this committee as
danger Signals an evidence that
we are still isolated from the masses
of unemployed and employed steel
workers. The downward plunge of
production in steel, lowering around
20 per cent, nationally, and in some
areas as low as and 10 per cent,
with the consequent mass Iay-offs,
increasing speed-up, the permanent
Stagger and double-crew system, the
cutting to the bone of relief and the
preparation for new sweeping wage
cuts, have brought in their wake a
seething discomfort and tremend-
GUS increased rehabilitation in the
ranks of the steel and metal workers
of this country. With half of the
100000 steel workers permanently
unemployed and the remaining half
working one or two days week, the
M. w. I. L. has not taken advantage
of these conditions to build the
union. Only in a few scattered in
stances have we seriously attempted
TO reach the broad masses of en-
Dyed steel workers through organ
ling and leading struggles OF the
unemployed workers. Our recruitment |
and building of inside mill and shop
is still based on narrow
individual recruitment and almost |
absolute neglect of mass activity |
among the thousands Of unemployed
and part-time workers.
Must Base Struggle on Local De-
mands
"The key to mass struggle and mass |
recruitment for building revolu- |
tionary union in the industry must |
be based on organization and strug-
gle for the local demands Of the I'M
and part time workers in
the steel towns" he said. "T'he sharp
lessons OF the West Pennsylvania
mine strike have passed completely |
ing rallied for a mass demonstration |