Page:Program of the Trade Union Educational League (1927).djvu/7

 Rh tions, are being increased, the 8-hour day has been established only for a minority of the workers. Renewed progress in shortening the work-day must be a first demand in rejuvenating the trade unions. The 8-hour day must be gained as an absolute maximum for all, with six and seven hours for especially dangerous or disagreeable work; the Saturday half-holiday must be fought for and protected; and wherever possible, the five-day, 40-hour week must be demanded.

(b) American real wage levels are lowest in the world when compared with the productivity of labor; for common labor even the real wage is little higher than in Germany and England. The illusion of the "American High Wages" used to browbeat the workers into quiescence, must be overthrown, and the trade unions must embark upon a militant policy of demanding higher wages, fighting for these demands, and resisting by all means every attempt to reduce the present wage. Attempted wage cuts, which will multiply with the growing unemployment, must be countered by strike movements.

(c) American workers suffer much from excessive intensification of labor, brought about through speed-up systems, the stop-watch, group piece-work, bonus system, so-called efficiency engineering, the conveyor (belt) system, straight line production and other phases of mass-production and rationalization. These methods enormously increase productivity, drain the energies of the workers, throwing millions out of work; increase exploitation of those at work, strengthen the employers and undermine the power of the workers. The trade unions must establish, in an organized manner, strict regulation of methods of work, resolute opposition to speed-up systems, and set up protection for the workers from the bad effects of the technical advances of mass-production.

(d) Unemployment has become a permanent feature in America, the land of "prosperity." Increased productivity has reduced the number of workers in the factories while production jumped to its highest known level. The recession in industry which has begun in recent months, is intensifying the growth of unemployment. Part-time and full-time unemployment has become widespread. Unemployment has thus become a permanent weapon in the hands of the employers to break unions and reduce living standards. The fight against unemployment must be established as a serious task of the trade union movement, by means of