The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-08-07
S.M.W.L.U. Constitution
Is Firmly Based On
Class Struggle
BY TOM KEENAN,

Carrying into action the proposals
set forth by Jim Egan, national sec
rotary, in his report on the work
Of the union during the past two
years, the Second National Conven-
ton Of the Steel and Metal Workers
Industrial Union adjourned yester-
day, it's slogan sounding the keynote:
Forward toward the building of
unified mass union in the industry"
The three days of almost contin-
uous sessions saw the adoption of
a program of action and constitu-
ton based firmly on the class strug-
gle and the realization that only a
militant fight by united workers will
gain better conditions now and the
ultimate abolition Of capitalist OPP
preston.
Program of Class Struggle
In marked contrast to the A. A.
convention held here in June, with
its core of A. F. of L. takers led by
Green and Tighe, and its periphery
Of vacillating trade union refornists,
this rank and file assemblage seri-
ously faced the task of building the
struggle which the A. A. leadership
ran away from.
Two excerpts from the preamble
to the constitution give the essence
of the S. M. w. I. us policy.
Thus the opening paragraph
"Recognizing that the interests of
the employers, who own and con-
troll the means of production, and
the workers, who possess nothing
but their labor power, are directly
Workers Industrial Union bases it.
self on the principle of continuous
struggle for the interests of the
steel and metal workers, and those
of the whole working class, against
the employing class"
And the final paragraph
Through the united action Of all
wage earners as class, the final
abolition of wage slavery can be
attained through such action
can the ownership Of the means of
production by the employing class
be abolished"
Analysing its weaknesses, exposing
its shortcomings, drawing its lessons
from the struggles of the last two
years and on the basis of these out
lining the work of the future, this
secon d convention undoubtedly
formed milestone in the history
of the union.
Program of Action
The program of action adopted
for steel workers calls for a strike
perspective on the basis of 35 per
cent wage increase, the six-hour day
/ and five-day week, equal rights for
Negro workers, abolition of North
South differentials, for recognition
of the union and union shop COM
mittess, and for the right to or
ganize, strike and picket.
Paralleling the steel program was
the resolution for action in metal
manufacturing industries, for a $3.50
minimum hourly wage, $40 weekly
minimum for unskilled workers,
against the speed-up by prohibiting
the practice of one man operating
more than one machine, equal pay
for equal work for women and young
workers, in addition to the basic de-
mands of the steel program.
Affiliated With T. u. U. L.
Highly important in the movement
toward building a strong, unified,
independent federation of labor was
the steel unions's action in affili-
ating officially with the Trade Union
Unity League.
This motion, adopted unanimously
by the delegates, recognized that
"the S. M. w. I. U. grew out of the
Metal Workers Industrial League,
organized in 1929 by the Cleveland
Convention of the T. U. U. L." that
j further, it has been Through the
4 efforts and the support of the T.
U. U. L. that the S. M. w. I. U. was
Y organized and developed into its
present position" and that "the T.
u. u. L. is a national center of mill
Stant industrial unions and is striv-
ing to unite in one independent fed
Grafton Of labor all class, indepen-
dent and industrial unions on
the basis of unification of the t.
U. U. L. and independent unions in
the respective industries"
Demand Thaelmann's Release
Other resolutions, passed unani-
mously by the convention. showed
the sentiment of solidarity among
delegates with their class brothers
all over the world Resolutions de-
manding the release Of Ernst Thael-
mann, Tom Mooney. Angelo Hern-
don. the Scottsboro boys; protesting