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Page:David Joseph Saposs - Trade Union Policies and Tactics (1928).djvu/20

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2. Dual unions of this nature are apt to be socialistic and to favor industrial unionism. But they believe in collective bargaining and trade agreements, trade autonomy, strike funds, benefit features and other practices common to either radical or conservative unions within the American Federation of Labor.

III.

1. Another element has organized dual unions to replace the American Federation of Labor, because it differs fundamentally on policies, tactics and philosophies.

2. Several such organizations have challenged the leadership of the American Federation of Labor during its existence.

3. The I. W. W. is the most outstanding. It took an uncompromising position against collective barganing and trade agreements, strike funds, benefit features and other "opportunistic and immediate demands" to improve the conditions of the workers. It set out to stress ultimate aims to be secured through highly centralized and non-autonomous industrial unions and departments and the general strike.

IV.

1. In its attempt to win over unions affiliated with the American Federation of Labor it made little headway.

2. Its chief success lay in following up failures of the American Federation of Labor Unions.

a. A number of American Federation of Labor unions failed in organizing trustified industries which employed large numbers of unskilled and immigrant workers.

b. Likewise, in a number of instances the leaders of American Federation of Labor Unions did not know how to reach the immigrant workers, or could not hold their confidence.

3. On the other hand, the I. W. W. made a special effort to reach these workers. It distributed its propaganda in their languages, and developed organizers from the more alert of the various immigrant groups; and in this manner it succeeded in advertising itself among these immigrant and unskilled workers, winning their confidence and becoming their mentor.

4. Naturally when the working conditions of these workers became unbearable and they spontaneously joined in a strike, they turned to the I. W. W. for leadership.

5. Thus, in addition to carrying on its propaganda the I. W. W. also supplied leadership to unorganized workers during strikes.

6. Through its propaganda the I. W. W. also influenced many active and intelligent radicals to abandon the American Federation of Labor Unions.

V.

1. As a propaganda organization the I. W. W. has succeeded in influencing large masses of workers, especially unskilled and immigrant workers in trustified industries, and American migratory workers in the West.

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