The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-05-29
PARTY LIFE
Ho'o Can the Young Workers
Be Organized in the Unions?
Needle Trades Youth Organiser Discusses the
Trade Union Tasks of the Y. C. l. Convention

adult workers, we failed to organize
the young workers.
In this connection our reyOlu-
tiOnary union was more reforrnist
than some of the right wing
unions, because they started or
ganizing the shipping clerks in the
]. L. G. w. T., etc, but our union
has still not approached the very
important question of organizing
the young workers.
OUR union has over %, 900 members
" and there are more than 5000
young workers. But, has our union
taken up the problem Of making
these young workers active in our
union? No. Young workers are not
interested in attending union meet-
ings only. The union can develop
youth activities such as a youth Sec
ton, sports club and other social ac-
tivitieS in order to keep them in
terested and close to our union
activities.
When raised this question of or
ganization among the young work.
ers, the secretary admitted that the
union had failed to organize the
young workers. But what has been
done to remedy this situation? No
thing They still leave this ques-
ton to be solved by the young work.
erS themselves.
can say that it is partly be-
cause of this reformist attitude to-
ward the young workers by our
union leadership that our league Is
not active in the trade unions.
I am not putting all the blame
on our union leadership, bat this
situation cannot be corrected with
out the close cooperation Of the
Party and union leadership
In order to organize the young
workers in the revolutionary unions,
independent and A. F. of L. opposi-
ton groups, we must see to it that
the youth question becomes a part
of our union activities. In this way,
we will be able to make the young
workers active in the trade unions.
In organizing a youth committee,
we must do as follows:
In a trade where we have T.
U. U. L. union, this union should
meet to discuss the problem of the
young workers. Then it should
call conference of the young
workers. let them work out their
demands, elect youth committee
and see to it that leading members
Of the union are also elected to
this committee; then proceed with
organizing the young workers in
the trade by taking up the eco
nomic problems of these young
workers, wages, hours, N. r. A.
discrimination, etc.
In an independent union, we can
do the same thing.
In an opposition group, our COM
rades must become the leaders in
organizing the young workers. It
must become a part of our opposi-
ton program. We can organize
these young workers in the
A. F. of L. as our allies in the strug-
gle against the A. F. of l.. mis-
leaders.
We must see that this youth ques-
ton is put to the entire league and
Party; that it is discussed at every
fraction meeting. We should also
h ave an educational campaign
through the entire membership of
our unions, using our papers and
trade union magazines, etc.
THE Young Worker" must play an
important role in bringing this
change in our work, and if the
league will become connected with
the young workers and organize
them and become the leaders in the
struggle for better conditions for
these young workers, the Young
Worker" will increase rapidly in cir
culation
hope that at this convention, the
league will be able to work out con-
cretely ways of making every league
member active and of turning the
league into a mass proletarian
youth organization, concentrated in
the factories, schools and among the
UNEMPLOYED youth.