Page:Program of the Trade Union Educational League (1927).djvu/5

Rh ing the principle of non-strike, B. & O. Plan, and similar schemes, and have set themselves to "company unionize" the trade unions, setting up the argument to the employers that trade unions will be more profitable to them, better instruments for exploitation of the workers, than company unions, instead of making the unions so powerful that the employers are forced to deal with them. They try to dignify their policy of surrender with the high-sounding name of "The Higher Strategy of Labor."

While the capitalists enormously increase their foreign investments and thus their control over workers in other lands, and perfect their international organization against labor, the official labor leaders adopt the foreign policy of the State Department of Washington and utilize their connections with the workers in other countries to further the plans of American Imperialism. On the political and industrial fields at home and abroad, the trade union officialdom has made itself a part of the machinery of American Imperialism.

The surrender-policy of the trade union leadership, resulting in weakened unions, loss of conditions, wage reductions, etc., is arousing more and more protest and resistance among the workers. The more progressive and militant among them strive for a fighting policy against the employers and for the demands of the workers. This is evidenced by the strong opposition movements in many unions (miners, clothing, machinists, etc.). But the union officialdom, the bureaucracy, involved in its relations-with the workers' enemies, is determined at all costs to force over its reactionary policy. Therefore, instead of struggle against the exploiters and oppressors of the working class, today the union machinery is used everywhere against the progressive and militant workers in the trade unions. Unity with the employers means betrayal and repression of the workers.

Progressive and militant workers, in opposition to the surrender-policy of the Executive Council of the A. F. of L., have formed groups throughout the labor movement. The leading center of this opposition movement is the Trade Union Educational League. In warring against the T. U. E. L. and other opposition groups, the A. F. of L, officialdom have not hesitated at the most drastic measures, They have resorted to expulsions, individual and en masse; doing their utmost to destroy the most advanced sections of the labor movement (Furriers, Garment Workers, Kansas and Nova Scotia miners, etc.);