About this episode
On this day, 27 June 1905, the revolutionary union the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) was founded in Chicago, Illinois.
One of the first multiracial unions in the US, the IWW advocated that all workers unite into one big union, taking control of society and abolishing capitalism.
Its founding conference lasted from June 27 to July 8, and was attended by over 200 workers, including legendary labour organisers like Mother Jones, 'Big' Bill Haywood and leading Black anarchist, Lucy Parsons.
It organised large swathes of previously unorganised workers in the US, and pioneered many innovative new types of industrial action like slowdowns and sabotage. Parsons, at its founding convention, delivered a speech arguing for sit-in strikes, which would sweep the US 30 years later, declaring:
"My conception of the strike of the future is not to strike and go out and starve, but to strike and remain in and take possession of the necessary property of production."
The IWW won big improvements for hundreds of thousands of workers, and for its troubles faced brutal repression from employers, with many organisers beaten, jailed and murdered. It also spread to other countries, including Chile, Australia and South Africa.
The union still exists today, although much smaller than it was, and its members are active in many organising projects.
Learn more in our podcast series about the union: https://workingclasshistory.com/tag/iww
Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.
One of the first multiracial unions in the US, the IWW advocated that all workers unite into one big union, taking control of society and abolishing capitalism.
Its founding conference lasted from June 27 to July 8, and was attended by over 200 workers, including legendary labour organisers like Mother Jones, 'Big' Bill Haywood and leading Black anarchist, Lucy Parsons.
It organised large swathes of previously unorganised workers in the US, and pioneered many innovative new types of industrial action like slowdowns and sabotage. Parsons, at its founding convention, delivered a speech arguing for sit-in strikes, which would sweep the US 30 years later, declaring:
"My conception of the strike of the future is not to strike and go out and starve, but to strike and remain in and take possession of the necessary property of production."
The IWW won big improvements for hundreds of thousands of workers, and for its troubles faced brutal repression from employers, with many organisers beaten, jailed and murdered. It also spread to other countries, including Chile, Australia and South Africa.
The union still exists today, although much smaller than it was, and its members are active in many organising projects.
Learn more in our podcast series about the union: https://workingclasshistory.com/tag/iww
Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.
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