REVOLUTIONARY ACTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18512, 24 March 1922, Page 6

REVOLUTIONARY ACTION

ONE BIG UNION IN AUSTRALIA. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, March 16. The principle of revolutionary action to achieve their ends is included in the newly drafted policy of the One Big Union recently formed by the Australian Workers’ Union, the Waterside Workers’ Federation, and the Coal Miners’ Federation. The constitution declares that “the struggle must continue until capitalism is abolished. Capitalism can only be abolished by the workers uniting in one class-conscious economic organisation to take and hold the means of production, distribution, and exchange by revolutionary industrial and political action.” As the working class created apd operated the socially-operated machinery of production. it is asserted, it should direct production and determine working conditions. It has been agreed that the political policy of the union shall be the decision of the IS2I All Australia Trade Union Congress and the 1921 Brisbane Inter-State A.L.P. Conference until altered by the annual convention. Included in the union’s objects are:—(l) The abolition of the contract system ; (2) to improve the standard g;f living and conditions of members and reduce working hours, and gcnerallv protect their interests; (3) to educate members, and build an organisation for the purpose of abolishing capitalism and substituting in it? place the social ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange to be controlled by the workers in the respective industries. Under the scheme the union is divided into five departments under the following headings:—Department of Agriculture, Land, and Fisheries; Department of Building and Construction; Transportation Department; the Department of Manufacture; and the Mining Department. There are also to be a national depart, mental council. State councils. State departmental councils. State divisional councils, district councils, departmental district connoils, section?, sectional committees, and local commit tee*.