The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-11-12

EVEN government figures show
that compared to the number Of
approximately a million workers
who entered genuine unions, TU.
III, independent. or A. F. Of L.,
more than five million workers were
forced into company unions in the
last period. These are primarily in
heavy, trustified industries.
In this section Of Indiana the
problem is especially acute. Prac-
tically every large factory has its
company union. In the A. shop
in this territory, large metal fac
tory we had some interesting ex-
periences in struggle against the
fake union. The details Of this
struggle should prove of Importance
for the comrades everywhere.
Petition Circulated
The structures Of the company
union in this plant was as follows:
an employees council Of five, con-
sisting Of one representative from
each major department in the fac
tory. Work was started here by
some young workers who joined the
Party and organized a shop nucleus.
In the process of developing work.
the question arose what to do about
the company union?
After consultation with leading
Party comrades from eighty miles
away, the young Party unit decided
to circulate petition in the shop
in round-robin form, raising de-
mands for IS per cent pay increase.
and other demands. This was IT,
be addressed through the compan-
union, as a means of exposing j
before the workers as q bosses too
This petition was signed by ovel
90 per cent Of all the workers in the
key production departments.
At the same time, the plant sup
erlntendent, in an effort to halt the
growing agitation ordered new cleo
tions to the Company union. AS
strategic maneuver, he approached
two Of the militant workers, aszinf
them to run as department repre-
sentatives, undoubtedly hoptnC
thereby to terrorize them and "pu
them on the SPOT" The workers
first idea was to refuse
However, after a consultation with
the Party, they decided to run, anc
were elected to the council! Ono
of the militant counciImen immedi-
ately brought the workers petition
with its hundreds of signatures, be-
fore the council. Another one Of thC
council members was won over OF
the question Of presenting the petit
ton to the plant management. The
council split, three to two, on this
question, and the three ther
brought the petition in. Result
the workers gained a 5 per cent in
crease, a partial victory.
The Party had proposed, concur
rently, that immediate steps be
taken to set up a local of the Steel
and Meta Workers Industrial
Union. The new Party unit, partly
from weakness, but primarily be-
cause of ineXperience and insuffi-
Gent understanding, made no steps
in this direction beyond the organi-
cation Of large grievance commits
tee. This weakness now has become
decisive, and allowed the initiative
to pass into the company's hands.
Company Counter Attacks
The company counter-attacked,
first, by taking one Of the militant
council members. giving him large
pay increase, and transferring him
to another factory, hundreds Of
miles away Next, there came sue
cessive Iay-ofs, including some Of
the militants. At this point, the
militant workers should have i'm
mediately developed struggle
against the lay-of, by modifying
all Of the workers in protest and
demanding resembling Of the lay
of order, division of work, with
further pay increases. Lack of ex-
perience and clarity prevented this.
The result was. naturally, a sharp
drop in the spirit Of the workers.
At the present time the workers are
consolidating their scattered forces
and preparing for a new organiza-
ton drive.
Many lessons can be learned from
this struggle showing the impor-
lance Of work inside the company
union, and the possibility of winning
definite economic concessions for the
workers as a result of such activity.
Above all, it must be deduced from
this particular case that once such
work is undertaken, the initiative
must not be allowed to slip into the
hands of the class enemy. Side by
side with the work in the company
union must go the definite building
Of a genuine trade union, no matter
how small. If this is done. at the
decisive moment the company union
can be liquidated and the masses
OF the workers brought into the
class trade union,