With today's union mergers, splits and attempts to "globalize", it is useful to pause and take a look back at an organisation launched 100 years ago.
The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) were unique in that they attempted, for the first time in the history of the United States, bring about "industrial democracy" that was not reliant on the bosses or trade union officials but rather on direct workers control that involved all labourers in the decisionmaking process, no matter how "unskilled" they might be.
In June 1905, two hundred radical activists filled a hall in Chicago, Illinois to form the IWW.
According to one of its founding members, Western Federation of Miners organizer "Big" Bill Haywood:
"The aims and objects of this organization shall be to put the working class in possession of the economic power, the means of life, in control of the machinery of production and distribuIt was with the slogan of "One Big Union" in mind that the WW recruited women, immigrants, blacks and many of the unskilled labourers across the United States. tion, without regard to capitalist masters."
Also known as the "Wobblies", the group was formed in response to the eITS nature of the American Federation of Labour (AFL) whose narrow orientation towards "skilled" workers excluded many of those who most needed representation.
It was with the slogan of "One Big Union" in mind that the IWW recruited women, immigrants, blacks and many of the unskilled labourers across the United States.
Although never having more than 5,000 to 10,000 members at any one time, its membership was thought to have totaled over 100,000.
The inspiration they gave to a strengthening trade union movement, and the leadership their members provided to the future of socialist politics, was invaluable.
Despite being arrested, executed, hanged and beaten by company thugs for their political activity, they continued on relentlessly toward their goal.
The initial organization contained members such as self-proclaimed "hellraiser" and agitator Mother Jones who in her fiery speeches often related the story of the "Ludlow Massacre" where in 1914, 20 people, including 11 children, died in a 14-hour stand off between miners and the Colorado state militia
Eugene Debs was also a founder of the "Wobblies" and later went on to win nearly one million votes for President of the United States in 1912 the Socialist Party (SP) ticket.
At the time, US President, Theodore Roosevelt, had called Jones "The most dangerous woman in America" and showed similar disdain for Debs who, following the imprisonment of Bill Haywood in 1906, wrote that if the government attempted to murder his comrades "a million revolutionists, at least, will meet them with guns.
Roosevelt sent a copy of the paper to his attorney general with a note asking "Is it possible to proceed against Debs and the proprietor of this paper criminally?'
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn was another well-known member who joined during its founding year at the age of 16 and was the subject of a song by IWW songwriter, Joe Hill, called "Rebel Girl".
Flynn was directly involved in the Lawrence, years, IWW members would be an integral part of industrial actions covering the rail, textile, steel and mining industries.
However, this did not last as the United States entered into World War One and the Wilson administration subsequently seized upon the IWW's opposition to conscription in order to raid their headquarters across the country and put 165 leaders of the group on trial in 1918.
All were found guilty, resulting in prison sentences of 20 years each for their most militant leaders. This, coupled with a lack of formal structure, effectively destroyed the organization and highlighted some of the problems with an approach based purely on syndicalism as a means for social change.
In stark contrast to the loose organizational practices of the Wobblies, many former members went on to participate structured groups such as the Socialist Party (Jones, Debs) and various trade union branches, while others joined parties largely modeled after the Bolsheviks such as the Communist Party (Flynn, Haywood) and Socialist Workers Party US (Jim Cannon).
The influence of this cadre on the US left was profound, from the Depression of the1930s, through the Smith Act of 1942 and postWWII era of McCarthyite witch-hunting.
Ultimately, their courage and commitment paved the way for the radicalization of the 1960s and their spirit of
continues to inspire activists around the world 100 years on.