Industrial Workers of the World

Originally published bythe Seattle Joint BranchesINDUSTRIAL WORKERS OF THE WORLDSeattle, Washington, USA, North American Region 1957. 

 

#1: What is the IWW?

It is a fighting labor union that believes that the interests of labor can be fully served only when working people are united as a class. It wants to see all on the same job united, all in the same industry in one union, all who work for wages in one big union.

The IWW differs sharply from the position of other unions in that, we believe the problems of the working class can not be solved by begging crumbs from employers or praying to politicians for favors. While it fights for better conditions today, the IWW insists that working people are entitled to everything they produce, instead of a meager share.

182 Barkly Street Footscray Post Office
The community cavalcade starts here; called by CEPU members Postal workers and locals.
The Delivery centre will be closed and moved to West Sunshine in July.
Saturday May 10th 10.30am
Posties State Secretary Joan Doyle spoke about being refused right of entry by Managers; the bosses plans to casualise workforce, cut pay by 15% an hour when they employ new starters on 4 hours a shift; the turn over of staff will thus see a reduction in quality of service by wrong deliveries and delayed mail.
Source: Union Solidarity

Now that Labor is in government, what do you plan to do to further the creation classwide unionism?

Do you promote organisation on the Internet?

Do you ask workers whether they want to join the IWW?

Nothing will happen, if you don't make it happen. 

General Union of Oil Employees in Basra - PRESS RELEASE - Friday, June 08, 2007

The General Union of Oil Employees in Basra, Iraq, has its roots in the Southern Oil Company Trade Union, which was established after the occupation began in April 2003. The goal of the union, is to re-organise the relationship between workers and the company’s administration in order to fight for workers’ rights.

The president of the Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions (IFOU), HassanJuma’a has informed Naftana* at about 3.30 PM London time (Friday 8thJune 2007) that the arrest warrants against the leaders of the Federation have not been withdrawn, and he made an urgent appeal to world trade unionists and the anti-war movement to step up the solidarity campaign with Iraq’s oil workers and trade unionists.

Union Solidarity has issued the following request "Urgent update: Management at Preston Motors has threatened to sue striking NUW (National Union of Workers) members. Union Solidarity will not put up with this sort of intimation of ordinary rank and file members. We urge all of our supporters to attend future community assemblies. Over 30 workers working in the spare parts/stores section of Preston Motors began a strike on Tuesday, 13 March, over the company’s continued refusal to negotiate a fair wage increase" There is a community assemlby on tomorrow, Thursday the 22nd of March from 8-11am at Preston Motors; 1551 Sydney Rd, Campbellfield, Melbourne.

Another 457 “guest worker” has been found in Western Australia being paid $3 an hour, given ‘accommodation’ in a company workshop, and forced to take out a loan to cover his living expenses in Australia. The worker was paid the equivalent of a $6420 yearly salary, and was forced to sleep at the workshop of Kentwood Industries, a building products firm in Malaga north of Perth owned by Jim Zhang. The worker says his wages were withdrawn by his employer and paid into a Chinese account to be accessed by his family in China. He was not even allowed to access his own wages. While a bank account was arranged for him and he was shown a photocopy of a keycard, he was not given the PIN! If he wanted any money in Australia, he was forced to take out a loan with the company and pay it back through extra overtime. When the worker asked to be paid his correct salary he was sacked and evicted from the worksite where he had been living. Two more guest workers are believed to be still living in similar conditions at the workshop but have been too scared to come forward.

Six days ago, US and Iraqi forces raided the head offices of the General Federation of Iraqi Workers (GFIW), the country's national trade union center. They arrested one of the union's security staff (later released unharmed), destroyed furniture, and confiscated a computer and fax machine. And then they did it again two days later, causing further damage to the union headquarters.

The union is condemning the attacks as unprovoked. It is calling on the occupation forces to issue a written apology, to return all the seized property, and to pay compensation for damages caused.

They are asking unions around the world to send messages of protest. Available from: http://www.labourstart.org/iraqraid

Workers continue to celebrate as a deal to halt Guinea's general strikes has at last emerged After days of intense negotiation trade union leaders have suspended the long-running general strike after President Lansana Conte agreed to replace his prime monster. The new PM is to be chosen from a list compiled by unions and the opposition.

The strike has been running for more than six weeks with unions demanding the appointment of an independent prime minister to carry out wide-ranging reforms.

During the strike more than 100 demonstrators have been shot dead by the security forces and martial law was imposed.

Thursday, August 10, 2006
More Amcor plants walkout in solidarity

Yesterday [Wed 9 August] two more Amcor plants walked out in solidarity
with striking workers at Amcor Flexibles in Preston. A total of 11
Amcor sites across Australia have taken solidarity strike action over
Tuesday and Wednesday. Amcor workers from West Heidelberg visited the
picketline at Preston after walking out.

Building workers from the Laverton power station site visited the
picket and donated $3,000. Commitment to donate funds has also been
expressed from other Amcor sites.

Negotiations continued throughout Wednesday and the outcome of the