The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-21
The United Mine Workers
Convention


TEEE regular convention of the United Mine Workers
Of America which viii open in Indianapolis on
January 49, is by far the most important convention
10 be held by any A. F. Of l. union this coming year
The UELwA. is the largest trade union in the
United States and not only in the A. r. Of L. 1t is
g union Of miners, Of the most important Sec
tions OF the working class. Moreover this convention
takes place after year Of many most heroic and
militant struggles by the miners. over 100000 miners
in all parts of the country were involved in strike
struggles in recent months.
Furthermore, the revolt OF the miners against the
policies and leadership of the Lewis machine has
grown to enormous proportions. For the first time
since the 1929 strike, after which the membership
OF the U.NLW.A. reduced to less than one-third
Of Its pre-stke strength result Of the Lewis be-
traya1s new tens of thousands Of miners have been
recruited into the UMWA. These are militant miners
determined to improve their conditions and still Stub
borrly opposed to Iewis's policies.
These considerations make the U.MW.A~ eonyen-
ton matter of greatest concern to all workers, and
particularly to the Communists and militant workers
This convention, despite the maneuverB and ma
chine control of Lewis, lead to tremendous step
forward not only for the struggling miners but for
the whole labor movement In past years the miners
have stood In the forefront Of tbs workers struggles
Their miitaney and determination has deeply in
huenced all labor battles A clear cut fight at this
convention will likewise directly influence tbs ssug
giles OF an workers
TYTE BELIEVE the miners are prepared 10 make their
W militant spirit felt at the coming Indianapolis
convention. But this will be really effective only
q clear, forceful program is presented and provided
real leadership is evident throughout tbs period OF
preparation for the convention and in the conven~
ton itself The Job OF providing this leadership neces
sarily falls the Communists and other conscious
militant forces among the miners It is these
rades the Communists and nilitants, whom we par
ticulary urge to undertake serious sustained, we'll
thought-out preparatory work for this convention.
For some time. we know, insufficient attention
has been given to the preparatory work for such i'm
portant workers gatherings and TO trade union con-
ventions and elections in general
Only recently, for example, elections hsd in
the United Textile Workers (dye workers section) in
Paterson which did not TO the attention OF
the Communists in time to permit effective partcipa
ton As result the reactionary clique carried the
elections with only small fraction of the workers
participating with the majority not voting because they
did not know what to do. Thus, in this case, the
Communists and mi1itants generally, by deprivng the
workers Of the necessary leadership after they had
lust ended bitter and militant struggle, made It
difcult for these workers to express their mtancy
In the formulation of class struggle policy and in
the election Of officials who supported such policy.
These weaknesses are reflection of the still ser1-
OTIS neglect OF our work in the A. r. of L. unions and
Of the mderestimation Of the importance Of par
tlcipating in such elections.
T44Is weakness By an must be overcome in
the preparations for the convention Of the United
Mime Workers. Already much time has been lost Al
ready some delegates have been elected. In other
locals elections about to take place. Speed, there
fore, is urgent.
Immediate aud we'll prepared activities
necessary in every local union to the election
of delegates on the basis Of the fighting program
already prepared by the militant coal miners them
selves in the National Miners Union and the op-
position groups in the UM.W.A. Only in this way
can We make it possible Cor the rank and ie miners
who attend the convention delegates to put for
ward effectively program that fully represents the
interests the miners
All District and Section Committees OF the Party
sn Party units in tbs mining fields urged TO i'm
mediately take up the preparations for this conven
ton and the election Of delegates Likewise, through
Communist activity, ali militant miners groups should
be brought into this work for the convention NO
task is now more important in these mining ter
ritories,
NATURALLY we can be successful only II we bring
~ forward the most burning questions confronting the
miners as the basis for the discussions and elections
in the local unions
What are these issuesF In the hrst psace there
are the coal codes forced upon the miners, These
codes brought not an improvement, but worsening
Of the miners conditions.
The issues Of wages, conditions Of work, payment
for dead work, relief for the unemployed, etc, must
be placed in the center Of the election struggle Grow
ing out Of the codes and the tyranny of the coal
operators and the government such issues 49, the
fight against discrimination against Negroes and young
miners. for the right to strike against compulsory
arbitration, against fines for striking, the demand
for the withdrawal of union officials from the strike
breaking MIRA. boards etc. Other important issues
that must be stressed nner-unon democracy for
the miners revocation Of the arbitrary Of the
union officials withdrawal of the check-of reduc-
ton Of the officials high salaries, etc.
OUR COMRADES and sympathzers should mobilize
their full strength, and at once, to win the local
unoins for struggle these issues having in each
resolutions adopted instructing the elected dele
gates to fight for this program. We should strive
everywhere possible to elect miners convention dele
gates who support this program.