This coming October will see a public event in Derry organised by the radical trade union, the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). The recently formed union was established several years ago throughout Ireland as part of a growing energy into international revolutionary syndicalist ideas, a rejection of reformist trade unionism, its methods and the political parties that seek to dominate and control them.
Already the IWW has witnessed steady growth in its ranks in most towns and cities across the island of Ireland, making the connection with the international union's historical past and that of the radical Irish migrants which first influenced it's thinking, when it originally formed in North America back in 1905.
The IWW is a revolutionary workers' organisation with a storied past, and its unique class struggle traditions carry on to the present. As the rich and their politicians intensify their class war on workers and the poor, working people are seeking out ways we can fight back and win.
The IWW is a member-run union for all workers, a union dedicated to organising on the job, in our industries and in our communities. IWW members are organising to win better conditions today and build a world with economic democracy tomorrow. We want our workplaces run for the benefit of workers and communities rather than for a handful of bosses and executives.
Irish Migrant: Eva Lynch, IWW member arrested by New South Wales Police while addressing a meeting in the Sydney on Sunday 16 September 1917
We are the Industrial Workers of the World because we organise industrially. This means we organise all workers producing the same goods or providing the same services into one union, rather than dividing workers by skill or trade, so we can pool our strength to win our demands together.
Since the IWW was founded in 1905, we have made significant contributions to the labour struggles around the world and have a proud tradition of organising across gender, ethnic and racial lines - a tradition begun long before such organising was popular.
We aim to organise the worker, not the job, and recognise that unions are not about government certification or employer recognition but about workers coming together to address common concerns.
Sometimes this means refusing to work with dangerous equipment and chemicals. Sometimes it means striking or signing a contract. Other times it mean agitating around particular issues or grievances in a workplace or industry.
The IWW is a democratic, member-run union. That means members decide what issues to address, and which tactics to use and we directly vote on office holders, from stewards to national offices.
We encourage anyone interested in learning more about the IWW and engage in trade union activity in their workplace to come along to the workshop "Introduction to the IWW" workshop at the CCA on October 1st 2022 12pm-2pm.
For further information please email derry@iww.org.uk
Facebook event page HERE
Comments