A ‘Third Period’-era pronouncement on Labor Day from the Trade Union Unity League who in 1931 were buildings unions outside of, and in opposition to, the A.F.L.

‘Turn ‘Labor’ Day into a Day of Struggle’ from the Daily Worker. Vol. 8 No. 215. September 7, 1931.

Statement by the National Executive Board of the Trade Union Unity League

AT no time before was the class collaboration policy of the A.F.L. so clearly exposed in its ruinous effects upon the workers as today, “Labor” Day is a day set aside by the bosses and legalized by the government as a “labor” holiday. It was handed down by the master class in their efforts to offset the genuine workers international day of struggle–May Day. Gompers and his fellow betrayers in the ranks of the workers accepted this day as a symbol of their policy of class collaboration and betrayal of the interests of the workers. They abandoned May Day when they deserted to the camp of the bosses.

What has become of the boasts of the Gompers, Greens, Wolls, that their policy of class collaboration as against the policy of class struggle is bringing great benefits to the workers? What has become of their promises that their policies lead to constant improvement of the conditions of the workers? What has their policy of the B. & O. plan, labor banking, stock ownership, etc., as against strikes and militant struggle lead to? What has their policy of support of the capitalist parties led to? The workers can see for themselves today what these policies have led to. Their policies are mirrored in the present conditions of the workers. Eleven million unemployed, millions of others on part time, huge slashes in the wages of the workers. insecurity from unemployment, sickness and old age. This is the picture of the conditions of the workers resulting from the A.F.L. policy of class collaboration. This picture is repeated in every country in the world where the labor bureaucrats and the socialists have carried on their policy class collaboration. The socialists of Germany and the MacDonalds of England have been the best servants of the bosses in cutting down the unemployment benefits and the putting through of wage cuts. Clearly the workers can see that the policies of the reformists (AFL-Socialists, Musteites) lead to the further enslavement of the masses and the constant worsening of their conditions.

On the other hand we have before us the picture of the results of the policy of class struggle. The existence of the Soviet Union for 14 years and the constant improvement of the living standards of the workers is the best answer of the correctness of the policy of the class struggle. That it is the only way out for the work. In only one country, the Soviet Union, is there no employment, no wage cuts, no crises, because there the workers rule.

The American Federation of Labor officialdom has become part of the machinery of the government in its fascist attacks against the working class. The A.FL. is most brazen in its attempt to crush the militant struggles of the workers and to destroy the militant organizations of the workers. The A.F.L. is taking the leading position to terrorize and discriminate at the foreign born workers. It is assisting the white ruling class of the South, as well as in the North, to carry through its policy of lynching and discrimination against the Negro masses. The American Federation of Labor is openly calling for war on the only workers’ government in the world, the Soviet Union.

The socialist party and the Musteite wing of the American Federation of Labor, while more clever in the use of sweet words to cover up its betrayal, in reality is but a cover for the Greens and Wolls to carry through the bosses’ program of starvation, terror and war preparations against the working class.

“Labor” Day, 1931, must serve not only to draw the balance sheet of the treacherous policies of the bureaucrats and their ruinous effects upon the working class, but to hasten the gathering of the forces of the working class, under militant leadership for the intensification of the struggle against the bosses’ offensive, which can only be carried through, by the merciless struggle against the labor bureaucrats inside the ranks of the working class. The working class of the United States, which in larger numbers is again recognizing in May Day its day of struggle, must convert the bosses’ day, “Labor” Day, into a day of struggle against the bosses and the A.F.L., socialist agents of the bosses.

The Trade Union Unity League, the center of the revolutionary trade unions and militant opposition inside the ranks of the A.F.L., calls upon the workers everywhere to carry on the fight against the policies of the A.F.L. and its hangers-on, to organize inside the shops, to prepare to struggle against wage cuts, against the stagger system, for the 7-hour day without reduction in pay, for unemployment relief, and a genuine unemployment insurance, for the rights of the workers, against discrimination of the foreign born, for equality of the Negro masses, and against the war preparations of the master class.

The T.U.U.L. calls upon the members of the American Federation of Labor unions to bring the program of struggle inside their locals, to expose the labor bureaucrats, who stand in the way of the development of the struggle, and inside these locals to fight for the united front of the workers, on a platform of struggle against the bosses and their labor agents.

Let us convert Labor Day, the bosses’ holiday, from a symbol of slavery and ruination of the working class, into a symbol of solidarity of the working class by militant struggle against the bosses’ offensive, for the building up of the power of the working class, for the mobilization of the masses of toilers against the capitalist system and for the defense of the interests of the working class.

“Labor” Day, this year, must be converted into a day of struggle for immediate unemployment relief, and unemployment insurance. Into a day of united struggle of the employed and unemployed.

“Labor” Day must be utilized as a day of solidarity and support of the striking miners, textile workers, and all workers engaged in struggle. As a day of support for the Miners’ Relief and for the Paterson and other textile strikers.

“Labor” Day must be a day of preparation for the struggle against wage cuts now being prepared for the steel, railroad and other workers. The revolutionary unions of the T.U.U.L. must utilize this day to build up Strike Funds in preparation for the coming struggles. This requires the strengthening of the revolutionary unions, which must be built on the basis of the shop.

“Labor” Day must be used to develop the work in the A.F.L. and other reactionary controlled unions. To build oppositions in these unions, and to develop the united front of all workers against the bosses’ offensive and the labor bureaucrats. “Labor” Day must be converted into a day of struggle against the growing fascist terror against the gangster and racketeer attacks by the bureaucrats who control the A.F.L. and .other reactionary unions.

“Labor” Day must be a day of struggle for the freedom of Tom Mooney, Billings, the Harlan and Pa.-Ohio-W. Va. miners, the Scottsboro boys, Imperial Valley, Centralia, and all other class war prisoners.

“Labor” Day must be a day of struggle against imperialist war, and for the defense of the Soviet Union.

“Labor” Day must be converted into a day of militant class struggle against all enemies of the workers. For the defense of the interests of the workers. For the abolition of the capitalist system of exploitation and oppression.

The Daily Worker began in 1924 and was published in New York City by the Communist Party US and its predecessor organizations. Among the most long-lasting and important left publications in US history, it had a circulation of 35,000 at its peak. The Daily Worker came from The Ohio Socialist, published by the Left Wing-dominated Socialist Party of Ohio in Cleveland from 1917 to November 1919, when it became became The Toiler, paper of the Communist Labor Party. In December 1921 the above-ground Workers Party of America merged the Toiler with the paper Workers Council to found The Worker, which became The Daily Worker beginning January 13, 1924.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/dailyworker/1931/v08-n215-NY-sep-07-1931-DW-LOC.pdf