 In Spring 1919 , Karl Roche wrote a new platform for the FVdG entitled " Was wollen die Syndikalisten ? Programm , Ziele und Wege der ' Freien Vereinigung deutscher Gewerkschaften ' " ( " What Do the Syndicalists Want ? The Program , Goals , and Means of the ' Free Association of German Trade Unions ' " ) . In addition to reiterating pre @-@ war ideas and slogans , it went further by criticizing participation in electoral democracy , claiming that this handicapped and confused proletarian class struggle . The platform also called for the establishment of the dictatorship of the proletariat , a position which was designed to reach out to the newly formed Communist Party ( KPD ) and International Communists of Germany . In late 1918 and early 1919 , the FVdG became an important player in the strike movement in the Ruhr region ( which mostly involved miners ) . Its organizers , most notably Carl Windhoff , became regular speakers at workers ' demonstrations . On April 1 , a general strike supported by the FVdG , the KPD and the Independent Social Democratic Party ( USPD ) began . The strike eventually involved up to 75 percent of the region 's miners until it was violently suppressed in late April by the SPD @-@ led government . After the strike and the ensuing collapse of the General Miners ' Union , the FVdG expanded its unions rapidly and independently of the aforementioned political parties , especially in the Ruhr region . This led to a massive expansion in FVdG membership . The FVdG 's criticism of the bureaucratic centralized trade unions , its advocation of direct action , and its low membership dues were received well by the workers in the Ruhr region . By August 1919 , the federation had around 60 @,@ 000 members throughout Germany . However , its Ruhr miners ' unions left the craft unionist scheme the FVdG had traditionally been organized by behind , preferring simpler industrial structures . 
