Written by the well-known activist and propagandist Tom Brown, this text explains clearly the principles according to which syndicalist unions organise, and the new society they aim to create “within the shell of the old”. [ C BCBMB[B PPLT www.zabalazabooks.net “Knowledge is the key to be free!” Principles of Syndicalism Tom Brown This simple introduction to syndicalism, workers j j j control and libertarian communism originally appeared as a series of articles in War Commentary for Anarchismin 1943. Excerpted from Tom Brown’s Syndicalism, Phoenix Press, London, July 1990. This text from: Anarcho-Syndicalism 101 http://www.anarchosyndicalism.net/ xxx/{bcbmb{bcpplt/ofu Editor’s Note: I noticed, at once, when I start to Contents: read this that it is written in the masculine gender, as one worker speaking to others. The reader should remember that this series of essays were 1. Not Centralism - but Federalism ..................................... 4 written in 1943 when it was common to use the 2. Economic Federalism ........................................................ 7 masculine gender to refer to persons of both gen- ders. The evolution of gender neutral terminology 3. Abolition of the Wages System ........................................ 11 and their common usage in written material are a 4. The End of the Money Trick ............................................. 16 relatively recent linguistic development. The reader should also remember that, even during World War 5. To Each According to His [/Her] Needs ........................... 20 II, the number of women in the workforce was rel- 6. Workers’ Control of Distribution ..................................... 23 atively small. The growth in the proportion of the 7. The Commune ................................................................... 28 work force made up of women largely occurred after World War II, with a significant jump occurring in 8. Defending the Revolution ................................................. 31 the 1970s and 1980s when the erosion of the pur- 9. First Fruits of the Revolution .......................................... 35 chasing power of workers’ salaries instigated a dra- matic increase in the number of two worker Editor’s Glossary of Terms ............................................... 39 households, to where it became common at the end of the 20th-Century. The introduction of gender About Tom Brown ............................................................. 49 neutral terminology in the workplace accompanied this dramatic increase in the number of women workers. 2 j Principles of Syndicalism Tom Brown j 51 He helped launch Direct Action in 1945 and continued his close association with it for well over 20 years. He and Lily returned to Tyneside in the late 1960s where he made several lively contributions, on libertarian subjects, on local radio. Tom Brown’s activities and writings have influenced and inspired many people. Syndicalism — a theory and movement of trade unionism, originating in France, in which all means of production and distribution are brought under the direct control of their workers by the use of direct action, and organised through federations of labour unions; direct political and economic democracy in the workplace and community organised through labour unions and federations, including the abolition of capitalism, social classes, parliamentary government, bureaucracy and political parties. Anarcho-Syndicalism — Syndicalism; the Anarchist labour movement as characterized by labour unions and federations in Argentina (FORA), Bolivia (FLP), Costa Rica (HL), Chile (IWW), Denmark (USP), France (CNT), Germany (FAU), Guatemala (CAS), Holland (NSV), Italy (USI), Japan (JRDZK), Mexico (CGT), Norway (NSF), Paraguay (COP), Poland (ZZZ), Portugal (CGT), Spain (CNT), Sweden (SAC), Uruguay (FRU), etc.. Direct Action — action aimed at directly achieving an objective; The strategic use of immediately effective acts, such as strikes, pickets, sabotage, etc., to achieve a political or social end; the Syndicalist idea that real social change can only come about by the actions of the workers themselves and not by relying on political parties or governments. 50 j Principles of Syndicalism Tom Brown j 3 About Tom Brown ~ ~ Tom Brown, whose writings did much to revive interest in Syndicalism and Workers’ Control, was that rare phenomenon in the British libertarian movement, a theoretician whose ideas had been tested and developed by his own experience in the hard school of working-class struggle. An able and persuasive public speaker, whether at Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park, at indoor meetings, or in the more intimate role of lecturer, he j had the happy knack of relating what he said to the everyday experience Not Centralism - but Federalism of his audience. The same quality illuminated his writings which mirrored the life and times of this lifelong revolutionary and loyal comrade. The striking worker, once he ceases work, must face such problems as, Born and raised within sight and sound of the Tyneside shipyards, Tom “How shall we pay the rent, how buy groceries, how renew the kiddies’ served his engineering apprenticeship there and was quickly drawn into shoes?” It is not then natural that he should look to his union for the pay- militant industrial activity. Much of his working life was spent as an ment of a little strike benefit? He has paid, perhaps, two shillings a week active shop steward and factory floor activist. for ten, fifteen or twenty years and drawn out not a penny. He has been Like many others he was fired with enthusiasm by the Russian Revolu- told by his ‘leaders’ that the union’s funds add up to five or six million tion, was an early member of the Communist Party and, for a time, became pounds. They told him that it was wise to pay his union dues to meet such its industrial organizer for the North East. But the double dealing of the a need as this. Communist Party and the growing repression in Bolshevik Russia quickly Unhappy man, to expect anything back from the clutching hands of bu- brought disillusion and he left the party, though never his natural role as reaucrats. First of all he will find that the strike is termed unofficial (more a shop floor militant. than 99% of strikes are “unofficial”, in peace as in war). It may be in de- Moving south during the Depression, he worked in the motor industry fence of some trade union agreement, it is probably in defence of wages, it of the West Midlands and, around this time, was attracted by Anarchist will most certainly be just that case for which the worker has paid his and Syndicalist ideas. In the mid-thirties he and his wife, Lily, found their trade union contributions. Nevertheless, down to the district or factory way further south to London with their daughters Ruth and Grace. will come the trade union officials to condemn the strike. The Spanish Revolution of 1936, with its takeover of industry and agri- First will come a lesser bureaucrat “Lads, I sympathize with you. You culture by the Anarcho-Syndicalist unions of the CNT in anti–fascist ter- are right, but I have my duty to do. You must go back to work!” Next comes ritory, especially in Catalonia, reinforced and developed Tom’s own ideas the big boss. He does not waste time on euphemisms or good manners. and he became a member of the grouping around the paper Spain and the The strikers are a bunch of scoundrels led by agitators and Anarchists, he World, which was dedicated to supporting the Spanish workers. He spoke hints darkly that if they don’t go back to work he will call the police and at meetings supporting their struggle, several times sharing their platform in any case they won’t get any strike pay so they will be starved back. with Emma Goldman. His Syndicalist writings appeared for the first time Does it not occur to the striker to ask “Who is this person to say I must in Revolt, which followed Spain and the Worldafter the fascist victory go back to work? Why should he have the power to withhold from me my in 1939. own money?” Yes, it does occur, but the worker has long been trained in During World War II, as a member of the Anarchist Federation of Britain the centralist principles of trade unionism and the state. (Trade unions (AFB), he wrote regularly for War Commentary for Anarchism and pro- are organised on the same highly centralized principles as is the capitalist duced his first two pamphlets, Trade Unionism or Syndicalism and The state.) British General Strike, both had wide sales. 4 j Principles of Syndicalism Tom Brown j 49 Trade Union (or Union)— see “syndicate”. The trade unionist is in a dilemma. He knows that the strikers, assem- bled at their place of work, are the ones to decide when to strike, when to Tramway— a streetcar line. pay benefits and what shall be official and what unofficial. But, neverthe- Trolley-Bus — an electric bus which gets its power from overhead wires less, he wishes the workers’ organisations to be so linked that they present like a streetcar, but does not run on a track. one solid, nation-wide front against the common enemy. He does not wish Truckman— a teamster; a trucker; a truck driver. to see the labour forces split into a thousand small units to be tackled one “Unofficial” Strike — in the text, a strike not “officially” pre-approved by at a time by the boss, and, too often, he believes that centralism is the only the so-called ‘leaders’ of the authoritarian British trade union “officially” way of achieving this. We affirm that there is another way and deny that recognized by the employer; a “wildcat strike”; often a spontaneous strike centralization achieves its claimed objective. organised by workers, at their workplace, to resolve a work-related Centralization takes control too far away from the place of struggle to dispute [— also called a “Lightning Strike” because it is intended to be effective on the workers’ side in that fight. Most disputes arise in the catch employers off-guard and ill-prepared.]. factory, bus garage or mine. According to trade union procedure the dis- pute must be reported to the district office of the union, (and in some cases Utilities— in the text, refers to items people use in their everyday lives. to an area office) then to head office, then back again, then the complicated Wain— a wagon or cart. “machinery for avoiding disputes” devised by trade union ‘leaders’ and the Whitehall — in the text, refers to a street in Westminster where several employers’ lawyers is set in its ball passing motion, until everyone forgets British government offices are located; a reference to the British govern- the original cause of all this passing up and down. The worker is not al- ment [as “Capital Hill” or “The White House” are used to refer to the lowed any direct approach to, or control of the problem. We are reminded U.S. government]. of the memoirs of a certain court photographer who was making a picture of the old Emperor of Austria to turn his head a little to the left. Of course Wind Wood — dead branches blown off of trees and shrubs in stormy he could not speak to an emperor, so he put his request to a captain of the weather. court guard, who spoke to his colonel, who spoke to a count, the count Wireless Set (or Wireless)— a radio; in the text, a consumer radio receiver passed the request to a duke and he had a word with an archduke who (as opposed to a radio which can transmit and receive). begged his Imperial Majesty to turn his head a little to the left. The old Woolworth’s— a department store. chap turned his head and said “Is that sufficient?” and the message trick- led back to the photographer via archduke, duke, count, colonel and cap- Workers’ Patrol (or street patrol)— a public safety patrol like “Neighbour- tain. The humble thanks travelled back by the same road. The steps of hood Watch”, but it replaces the police instead of spying for them. In the trade union communication are just so fixed. Anarchist community of Kristiania, Denmark, all residents carry whis- Centralization does not bring that class solidarity which the worker tles to blow in case there is trouble. When a whistle is blown, all resi- seeks. Decades of experience support us in this statement. The miners’ dents come out of their homes and workplaces into the street to confront defeat of 1921, the betrayal of the General Strike of 1926 and the course the trouble-maker whose actions raised the alarm, and settle any prob- of every strike since the last world war are evidence of this. Trade union lem (by collectively escorting the trouble-maker to the town boundary machinists have “blacklegged” officially, on striking iron moulders, engi- and booting them out of town, if necessary). neers on boiler-makers. Trade union transport workers have carried Workman— a labourer. “blacklegs” to mine and factory. The National Union of Railwaymen have World War— World War I. scabbed on the Society of Enginemen and Firemen. In every dispute, for Yard— 3 feet (ft.), 36 inches (in.), or 0.9144 meters (m.), exactly. one striker there are a score of trade unionists to supply the strike-break- ers with power, transport, light, heat, communication and all the many means without which modern industry cannot exist. 48 j Principles of Syndicalism Tom Brown j 5 Even when the men concerned are members of one union “blacklegging” Strike — the conscious and organised withholding of workers’ labour still goes on. The London busmens’ strike of 1937 was broken by the con- against an employer with whom they have a dispute (an economic tinuance at work of the trolley-bus and tramwaymen, members of the weapon intended to deprive an employer of the thing they most care same Transport and General Workers’ Union as the petrol busmen who about—money!); a concerted [mutually planned, arranged, or agreed on] obeyed Bevin’s orders to remain at work. Had the transport workers refusal to continue to work (by workers at a factory, etc.) until certain obeyed their own class loyalty, had they controlled their own affairs, who demands have been met (resolution of a workplace-related dispute, bet- can doubt they would have struck in solidarity with their fellow workers. ter working conditions, higher wages, etc.); a “social strike” is a strike In contrast to this official trade union “blacklegging” we have the class organised to resolve social problems created by an employer; a “rent solidarity of the Swedish revolutionary unions spoken of by Jim Connolly strike” is a strike against a landlord or landlords. Rent strikes were or- in his pamphlet Socialism Made Easy. Connolly in turn is quoting the New ganised by the CNT (see “CNT”) in Spain prior to the 1936 revolution. York Sun: see also “general strike” and “unofficial strike”. Strike-breaker— a scab; a supplier of scabs for the employer; a person em- “If the offending business man happens to be a retail merchant, all ployed to intimidate strikers, etc.. Syndicalism — a theory and move- workmen are warned off his premises. The drivers for the wholesale ment of trade unionism, originating in France, in which all means of house refuse to deliver goods to his store; the truckmen refuse to cart production and distribution are brought under the direct control of their anything to or from his place, and so on; in fact he is a doomed man workers by the use of direct action, and organised through federations unless he comes to terms with his union. It is worth mentioning that of labour unions; direct political and economic democracy in the work- boycotting bulletins and also names and addresses of those who are place and community organised through labour unions and federations, bold enough to help the man are published in leading type in all the including the abolition of capitalism, social classes, parliamentary Socialistic newspapers...” government, bureaucracy and political parties. “If the boycotted person be a wholesale dealer the proceedings are Syndicate— an association of workers to promote and protect the welfare, much the same, or rather they are reversed. The retailers are threat- interests, and rights of its members through solidarity, mutual aid, ed- ened with the loss of the workmens’ trade unless they cease dealing ucation (training, propaganda, agitation), concerted direct action, col- with such a firm; the truckmen refuse to haul for it. It has even hap- lective bargaining, etc.; a trade union; a labour union [from the French pened that the scavengers have refused to remove the refuse from the word syndicale]. premises. More often, however, the cans are ‘accidently’ dropped on the stairs.” Technics — the study or principles of practical arts (knowledge gained through practice or active use); industrial arts; technical and industrial How are we to achieve rank-and-file control of the union and yet gain knowledge learned on the job, commonly as an apprentice (novice, the maximum co-ordination of the labour forces? Syndicalism solves the trainee) working for a master craftsman (expert; worker skilled in their problem in a simple and straightforward way. trade; master builder, mason, mechanic, workman, etc.) to become a jour- The basis of the Syndicate is the mass meeting or workers assembled at neyman (workman who has served their apprenticeship and is qualified their place of work, factory, garage, ship, loco shed or mine. The meeting to work at their trade). elects its factory committee and delegates. The factory Syndicate is feder- Thatch— straw, rushes, etc., used as a roof covering. ated to all other such committees in the locality — textile, shop assistants, Toilet [articles]— articles used in bathing, grooming, and dressing. dockers, busmen and so on. In the other direction the factory, let us say engineering factory, is affiliated to the District Federation of Engineers. Ton - in the text, a gross or long ton used in Britain equal to 2,240 lbs., In turn the District Federation is affiliated to the National Federation of exactly, or 1.016 metric tons [1,016 Kg.]. Engineers. Town Councillor— City Councilman/Councilwoman. 6 j Principles of Syndicalism Tom Brown j 47 Self-discipline — [should include] commitment [ability to set time aside Such federations are formed in each of the twenty-five to thirty indus- for projects, to finish what you started, to prioritize the project over your tries and services — Rail Federation, Transport Federation and so on. ego] ; follow-through [doing what you say you will do, keeping a promise, Then, each industrial federation is affiliated to the National Federation reliability]; honesty [trustworthiness]. This is not Marxist ‘puritanism’. of Labour, the co-ordination of all the workers’ forces. But how the members of such committees are elected is most important. Shilling — in the text, and prior to February 1971, a British silver coin They are, first of all, not representatives like Members of Parliament who equal to12 pence (old pennies) [as opposed to after February 1971, when air their own views; they are delegates who carry the message of the work- it was equal to 5 new pennies]. ers who elect them. They do not tell the workers what the “official” policy Shop Floor (or Shop)— factory floor; the place where something is made; is; the workers tell them. the manufacturing or production area of a workplace; a work area. Delegates are subject to instant recall by the persons who elected them. Shop Steward (or Steward)— a worker who is elected by his fellow workers None may sit for longer than two successive years, and four years must in his workplace department to represent them in dealing with the em- elapse before his next nomination. Very few will receive wages as dele- ployer; a department representative of a local branch of a labour union; gates, and then only the district rate of wages for the industry. We want a delegate. none of the thousand a year trade union bosses. Slate — thin flat fine-grained bluish-grey stone tiles used as a roof It will be seen that in the Syndicate the members control the organisa- covering. tion—not the bureaucrats controlling the members. In a trade union the higher up the pyramid a man is the more power he wields; in a Syndicate Small Arms — firearms which can be carried by individual soldiers; in the higher he is the less power he has. the1919 Irish Sinn Fein rebellion and the1936 Spanish revolution, rifles The factory Syndicate has full autonomy over its own affairs. The district and other weapons were acquired by raiding military armories and po- deals only with the general conditions of the district and industry; the na- lice barracks; after factories were collectivized in Spain, many were re- tional with those things which are generally nationally but not particular tooled to produce small arms, ammunition, and even armored cars, for to the primary Syndicate. use by the militia. By such an organisation the workers would be able to express in deeds Solidarity— workers’ solidarity; the principle found in animal and human their solidarity with striking fellow-workers. The only hope of the greatest society to “Treat others as you would like them to treat you under similar labour force being turned onto any dispute is that feeling of class circumstances” [Peter Kropotkin, Anarchist Morality (London: Freedom solidarity. It is for us to allow it organisational expression. Press, 1892), Chapter VI; translated from the serialized essay, “La morale anarchiste au point de vue de sa réalisation pratique”, Le Ré- “An injury to one is an injury to all.” volté, March 1—April 16, 1890]; a natural feeling of empathy toward other people who are wronged sensed because people know they wouldn’t like something if it were done to them; a common interest perceived by j Economic Federalism workers that “an injury to one is an injury to all” (—if they don’t fight against wrongs done to any individual worker or group of workers, then the employer will not hesitate to abuse other workers). Workers’ solidar- In the first article in this series published in the previous issue of War ity is strongly felt because the work relationship is an exploitive rela- Commentarywe outlined the Syndicalist organisation. First the assembly tionship, because workers develop a comradery by sharing their work of workers and their job committees at their place of employment, factory, experiences (knowing that their fellow workers are also abused), and ship, mine, shop, office, etc.. Next the federation of factory or job commit- they conclude that they have nothing in common with their bosses, their tees of each one industry into a district industrial federation, as the Scot- employers and the employing class. tish Miners’ Federation, the Yorkshire Textile Federation, the Midlands Railmens’ Federation and so on for each industry and each economic 46 j Principles of Syndicalism Tom Brown j 7 district. From these come the national federation of each industry, road Penny— in the text, and prior to February 1971, a British copper coin (an transport, engineering, distribution, building, etc.. Then all national in- old penny) equal to 1/12 of a shilling [in February 1971, Britain adopted dustrial unions of syndicates are federated to the National Federation of a decimal monetary system where 2.4 old pennies equal 1 new penny]. Labour covering the whole economy of the country. In the other direction, Petrol— gasoline. each factory meeting and committee is affiliated to the local council of syn- Picket— a person (often a member of a labour union on strike), stationed dicates, somewhat like the familiar Councils of Action, though much more outside a factory, store, public building, etc. (often carrying a sign, pass- thorough. ing out leaflets, speaking to passers-by, etc.), to demonstrate, protest, In our first article we applied the Syndicalist principal of organisation keep strike-breakers from entering, dissuade people from buying, etc. to the present stage of the class struggle alone. But the same principle is [—derived from its military usage — a soldier or group of soldiers (usu- applied during the Revolution when the class struggle bursts its normal ally stationed at an outpost) used to guard a body of troops from surprise bonds of social restraint and the two classes confront one another over the attack — labour unrest has often followed wars, after discharged soldiers barricades. swell the ranks of the unemployed.]. The factory, pit and other job organisations take possession of the places of work and operate them for the Working Class and cut off the supplies Public House (or Pub)— a tavern or inn. and services of the Employing Class. The millers supply the flour to the Publican— an innkeeper. bakers, the bakers distribute bread to the people. The power station work- Rates (or rate) — a local property tax [real property tax, real estate tax] ers send electric current to the factories while receiving coal from the rev- in Britain (e.g., parish rates, town rates, etc.) [property taxes are based olutionary miners. The Farm Workers’ Syndicate collects food and sends on a fixed percentage of the assessed value (the estimated cost based on it to the towns; the Municipal Workers’ Syndicate maintains the essential the price paid in current sales of comparable properties in the same services of town life and communications are re-established by the postal geographic area)]. workers. Rail, road and water transport workers carry goods and services among the many industries and localities. Ratepayers— property owners; land-owners. At the same time the grip of the Syndicates upon the social economy pre- Royal Irish Constabulary — the national police force of Ireland, under vents the Employing Class obtaining the essentials of existence. No food, British occupation. no water, no gas, no servant for their homes. The more time they spend Sabotage — the conscious withdrawal of a workers industrial efficiency cooking or carrying buckets of water the less time they have for [as described by Elizabeth Gurley Flynn]; any action by workers which blacklegging or shooting workers. No trains, no petrol for their cars, no imposes an additional cost on their employer (an economic weapon in- ammunition from the factories, no telephone, no newspaper to print their tended to deprive an employer of the thing they most care about — obscene lies. money!) [Derived from the French word “sabot” — a wooden shoe thrown Other tasks are carried out by the various organs of the Syndicates, chief into the machinery at a factory to cause it to break down]; monkey- of these is the extension and defence of the revolution. The raising and wrenching [sabotage has also been used to achieve social objectives, like arming of the Workers’ Militia is chiefly the work of the factory commit- a social general strike]. tees and the organising of Workers’ Patrols to guard against hooligans Sack— to fire a worker from their job. and counter-revolutionists is that of the local Council of Syndicates. With- out goods and services to be bought, the check books of the capitalists be- Scab— a worker who refuses to join a union or who works for less pay or come useless; they can no longer hire the services of thugs and blacklegs. different conditions than those accepted by the union. A worker who re- With the triumph of the Revolution the functions of the Syndicates fuses to strike or takes the place of a striking worker. A contemptible change and develop, but the constructional principle remains the same. person; a scoundrel; a cruel and unprincipled low-life. The purpose of the committees and federations is now solely that of run- Seaman— a sailor. ning the social economy, the industries and services. What men consume 8 j Principles of Syndicalism Tom Brown j 45