INTRODUCTION
Tom Brown’s “Trade Unionism or Syndicalism” written in 1942 is a clear, to the point, essay explaining the bankruptcy of reformist, bureaucratic trade unions. The unions are a safety valve for the bosses, to control and misdirect workers actions through “representatives”, parliament and the legal system.
The unions, not the rank and file but the hierarchy, are part of capitalism, not wanting to abolish class society and the state, but rather have partnerships and deals with the state and employers! More often, workers find themselves fighting the union officials as much as fighting the employers!
Tom Brown’s essay also doesn't mention other struggles against oppression such as racism, misogyny, transphobia, environmental issues etc and unfortunately is gender based only mentioning “he” “him” and “his”.
But what this essay gives you is an alternative to the collaborative unions with capitalism and that is anarcho-syndicalism, based on class struggle, self organisation and direct action!
This pamphlet has been reproduced by Liverpool SolFed