TRADE UNIONS IN SOVIET BLOC

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27443, 1 September 1954, Page 8

TRADE UNIONS IN SOVIET BLOC

“Communist Party Instruments”

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, August 29. The general council of Britain’s Trades Union Congress, in a report to the congress, which will open at Brighton on September 6, explains why it cannot resume association with the Commuiiist-controlled World Federation of Trade Unions. ‘Tn all Communist countries the trade unions are not free and independent organisations.” it says. “They are the instruments of the Communist Party, which dominates the State and its government This is instanced by the preambles to the constitution of trade unions in the Iron Curtain countries, which state explicitly that those organisations function under the direction of the Communist Party. “The W.F.T.U. is, in fact, the agent of international communism in all countries where it has any activity.” Trade unions in the various Communist countries affiliated to the W.F.T.U. could not “enter into negotiations and determine policy irrespective of their government’s policy.” Nor could they criticise their governments, the report continues. “If we were to try to negotiate we would in fact be attempting to negotiate with people who have no power to do so.” While the non-Communist International Confederation of Trades Unions was trying to build and develop free and independent trade unionism, the function of the W.F.T.U. could only be to develop trade unionism as an adjunct to Communist power and policy, the report says. “These are the facts of the case. But at times like the present when there is a strong desire for international negotiations to lessen differences which exist, are people of goodwill who speak of unity, joint consultation and negotiation without a knowledge of these facts.”