EXTRAORDINARY SIXTH PLENARY MEETING OF THE CC August 9, 1927

From DECISION OF THE BUREAU OF THE CPSU(B) GROUP AT THE EXTRAORDINARY SIXTH PLENARY MEETING OF THE CC OF THE BUILDING WORKERS’ TRADE UNION IN SUPPORT AND APPROVAL OF THE LETTER OF THE PRESIDIUM OF THE METALWORKERS’ CC TO THE LEADERS OF THE “NEW OPPOSITION”

August 9, 1927

Having heard the report on the resolution of the Plenary Meeting of the Metalworkers’ Trade Union CC on the international and domestic situation and having acquainted itself with the letter of Trotsky, Yevdokimov and Zinoviev on this question, and, further, having acquainted itself with the metalworkers’ reply to that letter and with the resolution adopted by the Presidium of the Central Committee of the Textile Workers’ Trade Union, the Central Committee of the Building Workers’ Trade Union strongly denounces the disorganising behaviour of Trotsky, Yevdokimov and Zinoviev and wholly and completely aligns itself with the metalworkers’ answer to the leaders of the opposition.

Trotsky, Yevdokimov and Zinoviev took offence at the metalworkers calling the opposition’s ideology defeatist and disastrous for the revolution.

But as early as October 1926 the Fifteenth All-Union Conference of the CPSU(B) declared that the “opposition bloc expresses . . . pessimistic and defeatist sentiments”.

This assessment was reiterated by the Seventh Plenary Meeting of the Comintern Executive. Thus, the metalworkers had, in effect, expressed their complete agreement with the Party’s decisions. For this the opposition leaders accused them of setting the precedent of shifting an inner-Party struggle to non-Party organisations. But such is the logic of monstrous hypocrisy. The letter to the metalworkers, copies of the letter to other trade unions, the sending of these letters by ordinary mail— these, in the opinion of the opposition leaders, are good methods. But when a trade union organisation expresses its solidarity with the decisions of the Party and the Comintern, the opposition leaders become agitated. Since when have the trade unions had no right to express their views?

While the opposition leaders “paternally” lecture the trade unions in the interests of a factional struggle against the Leninist Party and its CC, playing into the hands of the avowed enemies of the proletariat, they expect the trade unions to keep silent and have no opinion of their own.

The opposition leaders are agitating the Leninist Party, leader of the trade unions, and seek to embroil the country in various discussions in order to divert the attention of the Leninist Party, the trade unions and the Soviet power from the building of socialism, and all this time, at the bidding of Trotsky, Zinoviev and Yevdokimov, the trade unions must close their eyes to all this and keep silent.

The opposition has launched on underground activities, trying to set up its own “party” in our Party, circulating illegal documents among not only Party members but also non-Party people, collecting signatures under petitions against the Leninist Party and its CC, and shaking the country’s organism, but the trade unions must see and do nothing—that is what Trotsky, Yevdokimov and Zinoviev want.

The opposition not only wages a factional underground struggle, but organises open, public demonstrations against the Party before the eyes of the non-Party masses (Yaroslavl Railway Station, the Zinoviev speech at the Pravda anniversary meeting). The opposition is fishing among the non- Party people, appealing to them, and even at such a moment, according to Trotsky, Yevdokimov and Zinoviev, the trade unions must be “loyal” to. . .* the opposition.

What does the sending of the Trotsky-Zinoviev-Yevdokimov letter to the other trade unions signify? 

It is an appeal to denounce the metalworkers and, with them, the Leninist Party and its CC, to inject elements of strife and struggle into the trade union movement, to set the trade unions’ against each other, and to incite them against the Party CC. Is this situation to be tolerated? No, a thousand times no. It would be a most heinous crime on the part of the trade unions not to say: Is it not time to ask the Leninist Party sternly call the disorganisers to order? Is it not time the opposition was told in emphatic terms to keep its hands off the Party?

Not only the Party and the trade union rank-and-file but non-Party workers are infuriated and sickened by the behaviour of the handful of disorganisers.

The trade unions cannot remain neutral on questions of Party policy.

That is why the members of the Building Workers’ Trade Union, its Central Committee and Presidium will rally still closer in support of the Leninist Party CC and will be able to give a worthy rebuff to anybody trying to split the Party, the trade unions and the working class.

Like the metalworkers and the textile workers, the Plenary Meeting of the CC of the Building Workers’ Trade Union will use the entire force of its influence and authority to expose the defeatist ideology of the opposition if it penetrates our trade union. We shall mobilise all our forces to avert the consequences of the activities of the oppositionists, who have thrown aside all restraint.

Although the Building Workers’ Trade Union is still not properly steeled in the proletarian spirit, it will, under the leadership of the Leninist Party, move in step with the other trade unions along the Leninist road, and not along the road of Trotsky, Yevdokimov, Zinoviev and Co. Our trade union has veteran workers capable of setting an example for young builders and seasonal workers.

The Plenary Meeting of the Central Committee of the Building Workers categorically sweeps aside all who undermine the strength of the CPSU(B), weaken the dictatorship of the proletariat to the delight of all the enemies of the revolution, support the renegades Ruth Fischer, Maslow and Urbahns, and direct propaganda against the USSR, the CPSU(B) and the Comintern.

Like the metalworkers, the textile workers and other fraternal trade unions, the building workers are fed up with the hysterical, Social-Democratic diseases of Trotsky, Zinoviev and other oppositionists. The building workers have colossal work to do: they are in the front line of industrialisation. Let nobody, wear down the strength of the builder carrying out tasks set by the Leninist Party and the Seventh Congress of Trade Unions, because the builder believes in the ultimate victory of socialism. If the opposition lacks this faith, this gives it no right to agitate the Party and the trade unions. At a time when the sinister forces of counter-revolution want to strangle our country, the building workers are determined to make the greatest use of the respite for production so that the rebufi to the enemy is stronger. Let the opposition not play into the hands of the enemy.

The Plenary Meeting of the Central Committee of the Building Workers’ Trade Union declares this 

with confidence on behalf of the millions of building workers. . . .

Extract certified true:

Mesyatsev, Executive Secretary of the CC

Certified copy

Sovetskiye arkhivy, 1967,

No. 3, pp. 35-36