The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-08-28
The AFL ConVention and
Industrial UnioniS4n

THERE are already indications that the
questions of industrial unions will be
one of the important problems debated at
the coming convention of the American
Federation of Labor A section of the
A F. of L. top officialdom, led by John L.
Lewis and Sidney Hillman, are advocating
tie industrial form of organization William Green
continues to advocate retention of the craft form
of unions.
Undoubtedly the industrial form of organization
is far better for the workers than the old craft
system. The craft system breaks up the workers
into separate trades and makes strikebreaking on
the part of union members easier. The industrial
form of organization has been advocated for years
by the Communist Party and the Trade Union
Unity League.
But the industrial FORM Of organization Is
of no advantage to the workers If the misIeaders
of the union retain a nOn-struggle policy of
operation with the bosses and the N.RA With
out a fighting program, the industrial FORM is
useless to the workers.
The unions led by Hillman and Lewis have had
the industrial FORM of organization for years.
This did not prevent these misleaders from carry
ing through a policy of class collaboration which
differed in no way from the betrayal policy Of
Green.
The Lewises and Hillmans have time and again
betrayed the workers demands to arbitration. Both
are members of the MIRA. Boards and such
have prevented strikes and helped the employers
force speed up and low minimum wages on the
workers They have sold out strike after strike.
Today in the Fayette County mining field the COM
pany union gangsters terrorizing UM.W.A.
members because of Lewis betrayal Of the miners
through forcing over NR.A. arbitration on these
miners Both Hllman and Lewis back Green's cam
ion tbe mill N trad nriO
movement
THE industrial FORM Of organization has not
prevented the Lewises and Hillmans from be-
trsying the union members Lewis and Hillman
ct al advocate the industrial form of organization
in order the better to carry through their no-strke
betrayal policy.
The industrial form of organization set
up in such unions as the UMW.A. gives the Lewises
bigger rake-offs in more dues payments. Thus the
Lewses and Himsns are the better able to betray
whole industries by directly dealing with the trusts
controlling those industries. They are the more
effective in sitting on NR.A. boards and betraying
the workers to arbitration. Thus Lewis wrote a
no-strike clause into the UM.W.A. contracts
These A. F. Of L. bureaucrats know that the
newly organized workers in the A. F. of 1.-the
auto, rubber aircraft workers-are organizing on
an industrial basis. They advocate the industrial
form IN Oruer TO MAINTAIN leadership over tneSe
more militant workers. so that they can behead
their struggles. They are the better able to extend
the influence of their betrayal program through
this form The industrial form of organization
makes their strikebreakng more effective influence
ing wider spheres of workers In such crafts as the
machiniss, the leaders advocate continuation of the
craft form in order to embrace machinists in all
industries
THE A. F. of L. leaders of the Lewis type campaign
for the industrial form Of organization now in
order to misdirect the mitancy Of the hundreds
of thousands of new workers who have joined the
A F. Of L. and to keep them from embracing a
real class struggle program. Thus they hope to
prevent real fight against Green's strikebreaking
policies at the coming convention
The A F. of L. Rank and File Committee
For Unemployment Insurance and Relief comes
forward in the preparations for the A. r. Of l..
convention, with a real class struggle program
The Rank and File Committee adds revolutionary
content and meaning to the industrial form of
organization.
The A. F. of L. Rank and File Committee
advocates real industrial unionism-not only the
industrial form, but with it policy of class
struggle, of fight for better conditions for the
workers, and of rank and file control of the
trade unions
Real industrial unionism means fight
against the whole A. F. of L. bureaucracy regard
breaking grip the A. F. of L. unions