Page:Trade Unions in Soviet Russia - I.L.P. (1920).djvu/54



Reports were presented on the work done by the Economic Organs of Soviet Russia; by Rylcoff, on the general internal work, and by Trotsky, on the military position and the organisation of labour.

The following resolution was then passed by the Congress:—

"Having heard the reports of Comrades Rykoff and Trotsky the Third Congress of Russian Trade Unions approves the proposals in regard to economic policy, adopted by the 9th General Congress of the Russian Communist Party, and asks the Central Bureau of the Russian Trade Unions to apply these proposals throughout its work as being the only line of action along which Russia could be helped to recover from her present disastrous economic situation, and which could help her towards an intensive development of her productive forces, thus consolidating the final victory of the working class and the defeat of the Bourgeoisie."

Compulsory Labour.

The resolution on this subject pledged the Trade Unions to fight systematically and with energy against the disorganisation of work, to recall from the villages the specialised workers who had gone from the towns, to prevent as far as possible workers from passing from one workshop to another without authority from their Trade Unions, etc.

Professional and Technical Education.

The resolution on this subject declares that technical education must be developed to, the greatest possible extent. All the schools in Russia should be brought into relation with the industrial life of the country and the centre of gravity in the education given by them should be transferred to professional and technical instruction. The schools of higher, technical studies should cease to be purely academic and should form one of the most powerful sources for the regeneration of Russian economic conditions. The Congress asks all Trade Unions to concentrate their attention on this question of professional and technical instruction and to mobilise all workers with specialised qualifications.

Appeal to the Workers of Russia.

An appeal was issued by the Congress to all Workers urging that now that the working class had assumed the government of the country it should proceed to take over the mass of technical knowledge which had formerly been the monopoly of the Bourgeoisie. Technical instruction should be democratised, and should become public property by being on the programme of every school. A merciless war must be waged