This classic trade union pamphlet by William Z Foster remains refreshingly relevant and full of ideas for bringing unions into new areas and building class-independent labor organizations. Written for the Trade Union Educational League in 1926.

Organize the Unorganized by William Z Foster. Labor Herald Library No. 17. Published by the Trade Union Educational League, New York. 1926.

Contents: Importance of Organizing the Unorganized, Unions in Danger, Will Create a New Spirit of Progress, Into the Basic Industries, A Favorable Opportunity, The Left Wing Must Do the Work, Sabotage by the Right Wing, Stimulating the Trade Unions Into Action, The A.F. of L. and Independent Unions, Formation of New Unions, The Fight for Affiliation, Jurisdictional Problems, Methods of Organization, “Open” Organization Campaigns, “Closed” Organization Campaigns, Company Unions and Workers’ Clubs, Shop Nuclei and Shop Committees, Combining Different Forms, Organization and Strikes, The Question of Demands, Organization Strategy, Plan Scope Spirit, Strike Strategy, When and How. 32 pages.

The Labor Herald was the monthly publication of the Trade Union Educational League (TUEL), in immensely important link between the IWW of the 1910s and the CIO of the 1930s. It was begun by veteran labor organizer and Communist leader William Z. Foster in 1920 as an attempt to unite militants within various unions while continuing the industrial unionism tradition of the IWW, though it was opposed to “dual unionism” and favored the formation of a Labor Party. Although it would become financially supported by the Communist International and Communist Party of America, it remained autonomous, was a network and not a membership organization, and included many radicals outside the Communist Party. In 1924 Labor Herald was folded into Workers Monthly, an explicitly Party organ and in 1927 ‘Labor Unity’ became the organ of a now CP dominated TUEL. In 1929 and the turn towards Red Unions in the Third Period, TUEL was wound up and replaced by the Trade Union Unity League, a section of the Red International of Labor Unions (Profitern) and continued to publish Labor Unity until 1935.

Link to PDF of full pamphlet: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/tuel/17-Organize%20the%20Unorganized.pdf