MIA: International Working-Class Organizations: Comintern Archive: Red International of Labor Unions
Red International of Labor Unions
(Profintern)
1921 – 1937
“The word ‘Profintern’ is a contraction of the Russian term ‘Professionalye Soyuz Internationalnye’ or, literally, ‘Occupational Union International.’”
The World’s Trade Union Movement, Lecture 5.
Encyclopedia of Marxism entry
Origins: The International Council of Trade and Industrial Unions
1920: The International Council of Trade and Industrial Unions, A. Losovsky, 1920
1920: Gompers and the Soviets, American Bureau, The International Council of Trade and Industrial Unions, 1920
1921: Two Months of Activity of the International Council of Trade and Industrial Unions, J.T, Murphy, The Toiler, February 12, 1921
1921: Theses: The Communist International and the International Organization of the Trade Unions (Struggle Against the Yellow Trade Union International of Amsterdam), G. Zinoviev, 1921
Congresses and Plenums
First World Congress, July 1921
- The First International Congress of the Revolutionary Trade Unions, Solomon A. Lozovsky
- Resolutions and Decisions
- Constitution
Fraternal Greetings:
- Greetings to the First International Congress Of Revolutionary Trade And Industrial Unions, Lenin
- Georgian Workers and the R.T.U.I.
First-Hand Accounts:
- The “Reds” in Congress: Preliminary Report of the First World Congress of the Red International of Trade and Industrial Unions, J. T. Murphy
- Report Red Trade Union Congress, J. T. Murphy
- The Red Trade Union International: The First World Congress of Revolutionary Unions, Earl Browder
- The Red Trade Union Congress, Ellen Wilkinson
- The First International Congress of the Revolutionary Trade Unions, A. Lozovsky
- Brief Report on the 1st World Congress of RILU, Evan E. Young, US Commissioner, Riga, Latvia
- The First Congress of the Red Trade Union International at Moscow, 1921. A Report on the Proceedings by Geo. Williams, Delegate from the I.W.W.
Program of Action of the Red International of Labor Unions, Solomon A. Lozovsky, November 1921
The Red Trade-Union Recruiting Week, Solomon A. Lozovsky
To the Workers of France, Solomon A. Lozovsky
The Basic Problems of the International Trade Union Movement, Solomon A. Lozovsky
The Red Trade Union International to the Congress of the Trade Union of Czecho-Slovakia, Solomon A. Lozovsky
For the United Front of the Proletariat, Joint Appeal by the Executive Committees of the Communist International and the RILU, International Press Correspondence, January 6, 1922
The Main Stages in the Evolution of the R.T.U.I., Solomon A. Lozovsky
Second Plenary of the Executive Committee of the RILU, February-March 1922
- The Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Red Trade Union International
- The Most Important Decisions of the Executive Committee of the Red Trade Union International
Amsterdam’s Chicane and the French Labor Movement
To the Workers of the World! (Solomon A. Lozovsky, Tom Mann, Heinrich Brandler, G. Molnitchenski, Andrés Nin & L. Repossi)
Circular: On the Participation of Women In the Revolutionary Trade Union Movement, International Press Correspondence, April 28, 1922
The R.I.L.U. and the International Trade Unions Federation, Andrés Nin
Second World Congress, November 1922
- Second World Congress of the Red International of Labor Unions
- [William Z.] Foster Reports to the Red International of Labor Unions: The Revival of Industry, The Worker, February 17, 1923
- Organize! Cry of Red Labor International, Ella Reeve Bloor, The Worker, March 10, 1923
- Unity of All Labor, Aim of International, Arne Swabeck, The Worker, March 17, 1923
- Not Only in Name, But in Actual Life, the International of the World's Working Class, Arne Swabeck, The Worker, March 24, 1923
- Resolutions and Decisions
- Constitution
- The Second Congress of the Profintern, Solomon A. Lozovsky
- The R.I.L.U. World Congress, Arne Swabeck
- After the Second Congress [of the Profintern], Solomon A. Lozovsky
RILU Telegram to the I.W.W., International Press Correspondence, April 19, 1923
The R.I.L.U. and the U.M.W.A., by John Dorsey
Third Plenary of the Executive Committee of the RILU, June 25-July 2, 1923
- Resolutions and Appeals of the Third Session of the Central Council of the RILU
- Results of the Third Session of the Central Council of the R.I.L.U., Solomon A. Lozovsky
RILU: The Labor Movement in Palestine, International Press Correspondence, July 12, 1923
The Red International Committee
RILU: The Question of Strike Strategy, International Press Correspondence, September 13, 1923
RILU Resolution on the Sabotage of the United Front by the Amsterdam International, International Press Correspondence, September 20, 1923
The I.W.W. Convention Hears Representatives of Red International, The Worker, November 24, 1923
The I.W.W. and the Red International of Labor Unions, James P. Cannon, The Worker, December 1, 1923
International Organizational Problems, Solomon A. Lozovsky, Labor Herald, February 1924
Profintern Asks I.W.W. to Send Delegates to 3rd Congress, Daily Worker, June 2, 1924
Third World Congress, July 1924
- The Red International's [Upcoming] Third Congress, Harrison George
- On the Eve of the Third Congress of the Profintern, Solomon A. Lozovsky
- Moscow Toilers Parade When R.I.L.U. Opens, Daily Worker, August 5, 1924
- Unity Slogan of Red Congress of Labor Unions, Daily Worker, August 11, 1924
- R.I.L.U. Elects Executive at its Closing Sessions, Daily Worker, August 12, 1924
- Revolutionary Strike Strategy, (speech at the 3rd RILU Congress), William F. Dunne
- Resolutions and Decisions
- The Third World Congress of the RILU, Tim Buck
- The Results of the Third Congress of the R.I.L.U., Solomon A. Lozovsky, International Press Correspondence, August 7, 1924
- The Struggle for the Unity of the International Trade Union Movement, (The Results of the Third Congress of the R.I.L.U.) Solomon A. Lozovsky, International Press Correspondence, August 7, 1924
1924: Unity of the International Trade Union Movement, Solomon A. Lozovsky, Daily Worker, September 20, 1924
1924: Red International Appeals to I.W.W., Daily Worker, October 30, 1924
1924: Hands Off China!, Solomon A. Lozovsky, Daily Worker, October 30, 1924
1924: Is the Unity of the International Trade Union Movement Possible?, Solomon A. Lozovsky, International Press Correspondence, November 27, 1924
1924: Struggle for Unity in the World Labor Movement, Solomon A. Lozovsky, Workers Monthly, December 1924
1925: R.I.L.U. Hammers Dual Unionism on Solar Plexis, Daily Worker, June 6, 1925
1925: 'Build the Trade Unions for Struggle Against Capitalism, Says Communist International, [on the 5th anniversary of the formation of the RILU] Daily Worker, August 8, 1925
1925: Red International of Labor Unions Reviews 5 Years' Life: Calls for Unity in Struggle, Daily Worker, August 12, 1925
1925: Letter from the Comintern and Profintern to the Workers' Party, USA on Trade Union Work, Daily Worker, August 15, 1925
1925: Red International of Labor Unions and Soviet Russia, Harrison George, Daily Worker, November 7, 1925
1925: Red International Lauds French Section for Strike Against War in Northern Africa and Syria, Daily Worker, November 18, 1925
1925: Red International Calls on Amsterdam for Fight Against Fascism, Daily Worker, December 5, 1925
1925: Labor in the Far East (Japan), Part I; Part II; Part III, Tani [member RILU Executive Bureau] Daily Worker, December 15-17, 1925
1925: Labor in the Far East (Indonesia), Part I; Part II; Part III; Part IV, Semaoen [member RILU Executive Bureau] Daily Worker, December 22-24, 26, 1925
Enlarged Plenum, March 1926
- R.I.L.U. Enlarged Executive Discusses the Future Tasks of the Revolutionary Unions, Daily Worker, April 2, 1926
- Where is the Development of the International Trade Union Movement Heading?, Solomon A. Lozovsky, [Speech to RILU Plenum]
- R.I.L.U. Sessions Consider Unity and the Orient, Daily Worker, April 3, 1926
- R.I.L.U. Session Takes Up Japan Labor Question, Daily Worker, April 7, 1926
- R.I.L.U. Executive Sessions Over, Daily Worker, April 9, 1926
Letter to the Amsterdam International requesting unity in support of the British miners
The Trade Union Conference of the Countries of the Pacific Ocean, Solomon A. Lozovsky, International Press Correspondence, May 13, 1926
Lozovsky Points Out Solidarity of the Ruling Class in Great Britain, John Pepper, The Daily Worker, May 14, 1926
R.I.L.U. Calls for Support to British Miners, The Daily Worker, June 11, 1926
The British Coal Miners Are Holding Out!, [on the British General Strike] Solomon A. Lozovsky, Daily Worker, June 24, 1926
Report to R.I.L.U. Shows the Communists and Sympathizers in I.W.W. Fighting Splitters, The Daily Worker, August 17, 1926
Declaration of the Executive Bureau of the Red International of Labour Unions on the British Miners' Strike, International Press Correspondence, August 26, 1926
On the Way to Trade Union Unity in the Countries of the Pacific, Solomon A. Lozovsky, International Press Correspondence, October 28, 1926
Fourth World Congress, March 1928
- For the Fourth Congress of the Red International of Labour Unions, Solomon A. Lozovsky, International Press Correspondence, January 12, 1928
- Problems of Strike Strategy (For the forthcoming Fourth Congress of the R.I.L.U.) Solomon A. Lozovsky
- Losovky Outlines Tasks of Left Wing, Daily Worker, March 21, 1928
- Report of the Fourth Congress of the R.I.L.U. (Resolutions and Decisions)
Statements and letters
1922: Joint Appeal of the Comintern and Profintern on the United Front
1922: Joint Appeal of the Comintern and Profintern for a the United Proletarian Front
1923: To the Workers of the World - Joint Appeal of the Comintern and Profintern
1926: Letter to the Amsterdam International calling for unity with the British miners
Pamphlets
1921: Program of Action of the Red International of Labour Unions, A. Lozovsky
1925: The Movement for World Trade Union Unity, Tom Bell
1927: What is the Red International of Labour Unions?, A. Lozovsky
1929: The Problems of Strike Strategy: Decisions of the International Conference on Strike Strategy
1930: A Report of Proceedings and Decisions of the First International Conference of Negro Workers
Periodicals
The Negro Worker (1928-1937)
Profintern Affiliates
Britain:
National Minority Movement (1924-1933)United States:
Trade Union Education League (1920-1928)Rules [Constitution] for the Trade Union Educational League, 1922
Labor Herald Library No. 1 (1921): The Railroaders’ Next Step, Wm Z. Foster
Labor Herald Library No. 4 (1922): Bankruptcy of the American Labor Movement , Wm Z. Foster
Labor Herald Library No. 10 (1924): The World’s Trade Union Movement, A. Lozovsky
Labor Herald Library No. 11 (1924): Russia in 1924, Wm Z. Foster
Labor Herald Library No. 13 (1924): Lenin: The Great Strategist of Class War, A. Lozovsky
Labor Herald Library No. 14 (1924): Lenin and the Trade Union Movement, A. Lozovsky
Labor Herald Library No. 18 (1926): Strike Strategy, Wm Z. FosterTrade Union Unity League (1929-1935)
R.I.L.U. Figures
- William Z. Foster
- Fritz Heckert
- Solomon Abramovich (Alexandr) Lozovsky
- Tom Mann
- J. T. Murphy
- Andrés Nin
- Harry Pollitt
- Alfred Rosmer
- Mikhail Tomsky
Last updated on 10 May 2025