Industrial Workers of the World
The Industrial Workers of the World, or IWW, is a world-wide radical labor union. Members of the IWW are often called "Wobblies".
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| Industrial Workers of the World | |
| Founded | June 27, 1905[1] |
|---|---|
| Country | International |
| Office location | Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| Website | IWW.org |
History
The IWW was started in 1905 in Chicago, Illinois, USA[1][2] at a big meeting of many unions. For its first few decades, the IWW had many thousands of members who led many of the most important fights against bosses. The United States government and other unions often worked together to enforce more conservative labor relations. Partly because this happened membership dropped and there were few members for many years after. Today the IWW has grown back to a few thousand workers and has members in most continents of the world.[3]
Ideas
The IWW pushed many unique ideas when it started. It disliked the American Federation of Labor's way of splitting workers by what kind of work they did even if they worked on the same job. Instead, it believed that all workers should organize together in "one big union" in their industry and as workers altogether. The IWW also focused less on winning contracts and more on giving workers more power against bosses on any job they work at.[source?]
The IWW believes that workers themselves should have control over their work, as opposed to bosses. In that regard, they are anti-capitalist. The preamble of the IWW's constitution begins, "The working class and the employing class have nothing in common."[4]
Industrial Workers Of The World Media
Logo of the Industrial Workers of the World.
The first IWW charter in Canada, Vancouver Industrial Mixed Union no.322, May 5, 1906
The black cat symbol, created by IWW member Ralph Chaplin, is often used to signify sabotage or wildcat strikes.
A Wobbly membership card, or "red card"
1914 IWW demonstration in New York City
Workers being forcibly marched away from Bisbee into the desert
IWW members at a picnic in Seattle, 1919
Joseph J. Ettor, who had been arrested in 1912, giving a speech to barbers on strike
A newspaper editorial cartoon from 1917, critical of the IWW's antiwar stance during World War I
References
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Wikisource has original writing related to this article: |
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "People & Events: The Industrial Workers of the World". PBS. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
- ↑ Reider, Ross. "Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)". HistoryLink.org. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
- ↑ "Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.)". u-s-history.com. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
- ↑ "PREAMBLE AND CONSTITUTION of the INDUSTRIAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD". library.arizona.edu. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
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