The CPUSA’s Trade Unionism during Third Period Communism, 1929–1934

Abstract

Before the opening of the Soviet Archives, much written on the Communist Party, USA’s (CPUSA) trade unionism during “Third Period Communism” (1929–1934) has argued that the Party’s strategy of establishing “revolutionary” or “red” industrial unions affiliated to the CPUSA-led Trade Union Unity League (TUUL), as opposed to continuing to “bore from within” the American Federation of Labor (AFL) craft unions through the Party-led Trade Union Educational League (TUEL), was a dismal flop. At the time of the TUUL’s formation at the end of August 1929, the CPUSA’s recently expelled factional oppositionists, the left-wing Trotskyists in 1928 and the right-wing Lovestoneites in 1929, contended that creating these “dual unions” was markedly unLeninist and advocated for the Party to resume its work within the AFL unions. The opening of the Soviet Archives has provided an opportunity to reevaluate this earlier perspective in the research literature. Although the CPUSA placed much of its focus from 1929 to 1934 on building the TUUL, during this five-year period, it implemented a three-pronged approach regarding its trade unionism including continuing to construct left-wing oppositions within the AFL unions while also actively working to organize independent unions that were neither affiliated to the TUUL nor the AFL. The CPUSA continued to utilize this strategy through late 1934 until the Communist International (Comintern) shifted gears with its Popular Front strategy and ordered the dissolution of its red unions and commanded the Party to reenter the AFL. While the TUUL unions had little success in organizing in the heavy and mass production industries, these labor organizations were much more successful in organizing in light industries in New York City, where they organized under the Trade Union Unity Council (TUUC), especially after the June 1933 National Industrial Recovery Act’s (NIRA) implementation. Besides its vigorous advocacy of a multiracial industrial unionism, the TUUL’s conception of trade unionism was focused on encouraging the democratic rank and file participation of members that was dramatically different than that of the AFL which believed that union officials should be the primary decision makers concerning union affairs. In analyzing TUUL-led strikes conducted in various industries including needle trades, textile, shoe, mining, agriculture, steel, auto, maritime, etc., the time period, industry, and