Today in Labour history June 27th, 1905, The Industrial Workers of the World , also known as the wobblies was founded at a 12 day Convention in Chicago. The wobbly motto is ' An injury to all is an injury to all.'
At their peak the organisation claimed over 100,000 members with as many as 300,000 workers who rallied in their support. The IWW became for its members to be, not only their union and party, but their social centre, their home, their school, and in a manner of speaking their religion, a faith in which they lived by. Singing and reciting their poetry and songs.
' We meet today in freedom's cause
And raise our voices high
We'll join our hands in union strong
To battle or to die.'
' If the workers took a notion
They could stop all speeding trains;
Every ship upon the ocean
They can tie with mighty chains
Every wheel in the creation
Every mine and every mill
Fleets and armies of the nation
Will at their command stand still.'
They were founded and led ( though they did not really have leaders) by miner and socialist William 'Big Bill' Haywood (1869 -1928)
' We are All Leaders!'
At a time when other trade unions refused to accept immigrants, minorities and women, and unskilled workers, their only restriction was that you had to be a member of the working class. Together they energised people, sparks were lift, and in every strikes and protest across America their presence would be felt. They began to become known as revolutionaries with a singing voice.
Solidarity Forever- Pete Seeger
Their power and subsequently their weapon was their utter refusal to compromise in a single-minded march towards a utopia that pitted them against the combined forces of the state and business. It was this and their refusal to support U.S entry into World War 1 and their refusal to abandon strikes and other revolutionary tactics during the war which was used as an excuse, for thei membership to be increasingly attacked, beaten, their organisers thrown in jail. Non violent IWW strikers were attacked by police and troops, and vigilantism and lynchings were encouraged against them. They were labelled as 'enemy aliens' and traitors and hundreds were arrested. Combined with splits within their organisation , their influence faded, but never died. Membership unfortunately began to decline, but as individuals and in small branches across the world their legacy lives on, not forgotten still promoting its original aims organising workers by industry rather than trade, still thirsting for solidarity, still organising, still resisting.
In these divided times,of economic despair, perhaps what we need now is a strong international radical voice that stands defiantly, on behalf of the people, following an old tradition of solidarity that does not seperate along lines of nationality, race or gender, speaking too to the unemployed, the sick, and the marginalised spreading messages of hope among the carnage that is being unveiled by bankrupt economic policies.Today we do not have to ride freight trains to spread our messages, today it's just a click away and infomation can be spread in an instant. Following the combined flags of red, black and green. An organisation is urgently needed that does not condemn the actions of its membership, that listens and understands.
Preamble to current IWW Constitution
'The working class and the emplying class have nothing in common. There can be no peace so long as hunger and want are found among millions of the working people and the few, who make up the employing class, have all the god things of life. Between these two classes a struggle must go on until the workers of the world organize as a class, take possession of the means of production, abolish the wage system, and live in harmony with the Earth. We find that the centering of the management of industries into fewer hands make the trade unions unable to cope with the ever growing power of the employing class. The trade unions foster a state of affairs which allows one set of workers to be pitted against another set of workers in the same industry, thereby helping defeat one another in wage wars. Moreover, the trade unions aid the employing class to mislead the workers into the belief that the working class have interests in common with their employers. These conditions can be changed and the interest of the working class upheld only by an organisation formed in such a way that all its members in any one industry, or in all industries if necessary, cease work whenever a strike or lockout is on in any department thereof, thusmaking an injury to all. Instead of the conservative motto, ' A fair day's wage for a fair day's work.' we must inscribe on our banner the revolutionary watchword, 'Abolition of the wage system.' It is the historic mission of the working class to do away with capitalism. The army of production must be organized, not for everyday struggle with capitalists, but also to carry on production when capitalism shall have been overthrown. By organizing industrially we are forming the structure of the new society within the shell of the old.'
It is not a dream, when we think of another world, it is is achievable and clearly signposts and the paths are already marked.Struggle can be hard, but with solidarity, I guess it can be beautiful too.
Paul Robeson - Joe Hill
Utah Phillips & Ani Di Franco - Unless you are free.
