Working Within Reactionary Unions
Working Within Reactionary Unions
In Virginia, we face additional challenges when attempting to organize unions. Virginia’s status as a “right-to-work” state allows workers to opt out of unions, while still benefiting from the union struggle. This weakens the union and creates divisions among workers. Moreover, being in the South, where racial and cultural differences have historically been exploited to divide workers, many unions develop reactionary views and leadership.
Several comrades have recently asked about working within unions that have reactionary leaders or memberships. They are unsure whether we, as communists, should even participate in such unions.
It is essential that we work within existing trade unions, even if they are reactionary or led by reformists, because these unions are where the masses of workers are organized.
With that in mind, there are two major errors to avoid as communists organizing within unions:
Refusing to work within existing reactionary unions and attempting to create new “pure” unions from scratch
Adopting the reactionary ideals present in existing unions to appease the workers within them
Our goal is to win over the workers to revolutionary politics through patient and persistent work. These workers have already been organized and have experience fighting for their economic concerns. We need to work among them to help guide them toward the correct political concerns. In his analysis of dual unionism, the early 20th century strategy of founding ideologically pure unions to compete with larger reactionary unions, William Z. Foster writes:
“[Dual unionism] withdrew the militants from the basic trade unions, and left the masses there leaderless. This destroyed the very foundations of progress, and condemned every branch of the labor movement–political, industrial, cooperative– to stagnation and impotency. Dual unionism, so to speak, severed the head from the body of American labor.”
This is precisely why it is essential for communists to work within these unions. We must guide workers beyond trade union consciousness, beyond the narrow focus on wages, benefits, and working conditions, and toward revolutionary proletarian consciousness. This means helping them to understand that their struggles are not isolated, but part of a broader systemic issue rooted in capitalism.
The Role of Communists in Reactionary Unions
Lenin correctly emphasized that communists must engage with the masses, even in reactionary spaces. But our task isn’t to adopt reactionary language; it’s to patiently build class consciousness, challenge harmful views, and win workers to revolution. We lead by example, not by compromise.
Working within reactionary unions does not mean adopting their ideals or language to appease them. Instead, it means engaging with workers where they are, building trust, and patiently explaining how their immediate struggles are connected to the larger fight against capitalism. We must be clear that our goal is not to reform the system but to overthrow it.
This work requires tact and patience. We cannot simply dismiss workers who hold reactionary views; instead, we must meet them with solidarity and education, showing them that their interests lie not in aligning with the bosses or reactionary leaders but in joining the revolutionary struggle. As Lenin argued, communists must be “tribunes of the people,” able to speak to the broadest sections of the working class and connect their daily struggles to the need for revolutionary change.
Reactionary unions, despite their limitations, are still sites of working-class organization. By working within them, communists can help transform these spaces into arenas of revolutionary struggle. Our task is not to abandon the workers to reactionary leaders but to win them over to the cause of socialism through education, solidarity, and persistent organizing. The path to revolutionary consciousness begins where the workers are, and often, that is within the very unions we might otherwise dismiss.
The challenges of organizing in Virginia are significant, but they are not insurmountable. By working within existing unions, patiently building class consciousness, and connecting workers’ immediate struggles to the broader fight against capitalism, we can help transform these reactionary spaces into arenas of revolutionary struggle. As Lenin reminds us, “The duty of all class-conscious workers is to rise with all their might against those who are stirring up national hatred and diverting the attention of the working people from their real enemies.”
Let us take up this task with determination and solidarity, for the future of our movement depends on it.
Practical Steps Forward
Join the CPUSA: Being a part of a Marxist-Leninist party is crucial for maintaining ideological clarity and steadfastness in the face of both left and right deviations. The party provides the theoretical foundation, organizational support, and collective discipline necessary to navigate the complexities of working within reactionary unions. By joining the CPUSA, you ensure that your work is guided by a revolutionary line and connected to a broader movement fighting for socialism.
Building relationships: Start by attending union meetings, listening to workers’ concerns, and showing solidarity in their immediate struggles. Small acts of solidarity, such as supporting a strike or helping to organize a petition, can go a long way in building trust.
Education: Organize study groups or distribute accessible Marxist literature that connects workers’ daily struggles to the broader fight against capitalism. Focus on materials that are easy to understand and directly relevant to their experiences.
Alliances: Identify and collaborate with other progressive forces within the union, such as rank-and-file caucuses or reform-minded leaders, to challenge reactionary leadership and push for more democratic structures.
Long-term vision: While fighting for immediate gains, always link these struggles to the need for systemic change. For example, when advocating for higher wages, explain how this demand is part of a larger fight against capitalist exploitation.