During the last 20 years over 100,000 disappeared in the United States, a trend which threatens to continue as the steel companies look for more 'efficient' methods of production. With a union movement which is notorious for its class collaboration and corruption, the steel workers have until recently had little with which to defend themselves.
million members have no right to ratify contracts drawn up between their union leaders and the employers. In 1973 the President of the union, I.W. Abel, further restricted his members' rights by signing a no-strike 'Experimental Negotiating Agreement. notorious for its discrimination against blacks and women. bers are doing just that. This movement has grown out of the efforts of Ed Sadlowski, who recently successfully fought an election for director of the USWA in South Chicano and Gary, Indiana.
he stepped down in 1972 his long-time assistant Sam Evett was nominated as heir apparent. But Sadlowski ran against Evett, and although initially defeated, he alleged vote-rigging and challenged the result. After a re-run in 1974, Sadlowski was elected with a two to one majority response among the union members despite physical intimidation of Sadlowski's supporters — one of whom has been shot and many others beaten up. The 'Fight Back' movement has now won elections in areas such as Pennsylvania, Ontario (Canada), New York and New Mexico.
Party and an activist in 'Stee/workers Fight Back', what he saw as the future of the movement.
The next major step is to win as many delegates as possible for the national steel workers Convention in Las Vegas October. There will be 4,000 delegates, and the Sadlowski forces hope to win as many as a thousand delegates. paign now is to travel around the country and win as many local officials and delegates as possible to support 'Fight Back' at the convention.
It is expected that Sadlowski will declare his candidacy for President of the Union at this convention. This election will be il February 1977, and the international and local elections will be held at the same time.
The main goal of "Steelworkers' Figh Back' is to initiate a struggle to transform the entire labour movement from top to bottom. To an extent it was inspired by the previous struggles in the United Mine workers for greater union democracy. The United Steelworkers is the most powerful industrial union in the country, and it will set an example for other unions.
•Does the 'Fight Back' movement represent a significant advance for unionism in States?
Any move in the union movement that will lead to casting off the bureaucracy and increasing the effectiveness of the membership is an advance. United Steelworkers did not even arise out of workers' struggles, but was a bureaucratic formation from beginning.
Only two years ago it was impossible to appear as a dissident element of the union without being beaten up. It was impossible to present a resolution or produce a leaflet as a serious trade unionis. unese acmo cratic rights have now been established.
stee/workers' jobs have In the United Stee/workers of America (USWA), 500,000 of the 1.4 The union is also But through the 'Steelworkers Fight Back' movement the union memFor 26 years Joe Germano had held this post unchallenged, and when This challenge to the corrupt bureaucracy has produced a strong Red Weekly asked BILL BREIHAN, a member of the Socialist Workers SADLOWSKI •Does this movement in union have any connection with the political climate following the Watergate revelations?
I certainly think so. The corruption exposed in the union would probably have been met with disbelief a few years ago. revelations around Watergate and the FBI mean that American workers are very open now to understanding the corruption of organised bodies such as trade unions.
The Steelworkers Fight Back' movement has consequently been able to win the support of steelworkers, and has also been able to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars from the steelworkers to maintain this fight. •How has the Socialist Workers Party oriented to the 'Fight Back' movement?
Our first priority is always to establish our credibility in the union. We have to be Shipping more steel...
... with fewer workers Average number of A Thousands of workers known as serious trade unionists. But from the very beginning of the "Fight Back movement we have sold our paper In Militant to all the steelworkers we have worked with in "Fight Back', and we have had the policy of talking to individuals about our politics.
The Socialist Workers Party would support and build such a current as Fight Back' so long as it was clear in its opposition to racism and sexism and on the question of democracy in the union.
Concretely, we have several comrades who are delegates to the union conference in October. We have comrades who are shop stewards on executive boards anc locals. We have tried to be leading activists in "Fight Back', and we try to develop the movement as much as we can. We have people working full-time on the organising teams of Fight Back' and we are leaders of that movement.
•How do you see the 'Fight Back' struggle being extended beyond United Stee/workers?
The only way that Sadlowski can win is by mobilising the rank and file; and members of the Socialist Workers Party want to be a central part of this. Because Fight Back takes correct positions on the question of discrimination against women and oppres sed minorities, it is possible for Trotskyists to expand the struggles of "Fight Back' We can link up the struggle for union democracy with the right of women and oppressed minorities for greater equality The "Fight Back' movement can develop into a class struggle left wing.
officiale of lISWA