IWW Chronology (1998 - 1999)
Originally Titled, 95 Years of Revolutionary Industrial Unionism, by Michael Hargis - featured in Anarcho Syndicalist Review, #27 and #28.
1998
- Metarie, LA: Drive at Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar. NLRB election lost.
- Finland: Solidaarsuus occupies Ministry of Labor and hang banner reading "Stop Bullying Unemployed."
- Olympia Wobs launch campaign to repeal Washington's Criminal Syndicalism Law.
- Workers at New Milton (England) Food Co-op join IWW due to dissatisfaction with do-nothing branch of the TUC affiliated USDAW. IWW gains parity with USDAW branch in the shop.
- Philadelphia Friends Center fires member of IWW committee, IWW wins pay equity.
- Majority of workers at Hunger Mountain Food Co-op join IWW, Montpelier, VT. Gainesville, FL, IU640 (restaurant workers) organizing around demand for $7.00/hour minimum wage.
- Ghana, Africa: Contacts established in Ghana due to articles from British IWW magazine Bread and Roses being re-printed in Weekly Insight.
- IU630 stand-up comedians' local wins contract at Choices Pub, Portland, OR.
- Sedro Wooley, WA: Skagit Pacific, manufacturers of pre-fab housing, workers join IWW IU330. Boss lays-off entire night shift in bid to break the union. ULPs filed, organizing concentrates on day-shift workers.
- Manitoba, Canada: Harvest Collective IU660 Branch wins Labor Board election and is certified. First IWW local certified in Canada since OBU declared illegal in 1919.
- Memphis, TN: lU 620 in living wage campaign.
- Marine Transport IU 510 Branch chartered in San Francisco.
- IWW helps 125 Mexican construction workers get paid, Austin, TX.
- Wrafton, North Devon: IWW begins organizing at pharmaceutical plant where workers reject boss attempt to bring in a TUC union.
- London, England: IWW begins organizing campaign at Borders Books.
- Melbourne, Australia: IWW pickets Borders Books in support of boycott.
- La Crosse, WI: IWWs picket Bodega Brew Pub over illegal firing of IWW member.
- Tacoma, WA: IWW pickets Pier 7 to stop docking of "Sea Diamond" loaded with bauxite destined for Kaiser Aluminum where a strike is on. Polish Regional Organizing Committee established.
- FCC raids Free Radio Gainesville (FL), an IWW shop, and confiscates equipment.
- San Francisco, CA: PMA suit against Neptune Jade pickets dropped; MTW forum on Dock & Shipboard Safety and Survival Training attended by over 100 "casuals," "extras" and other lowseniority waterfront workers.
1999
- Education Workers IU 620 Branch chartered in Boston, MA. Branch organizing adjunct faculty at area universities and colleges.
- Recycling Resource Center workers join IWW and demand recognition at San Francisco State University.
- Organizing at Hanna Transport Trucking Co., Detroit, MI.
- IWW Branch represented on Austin (TX) Central Labor Council's Organizing Committee.
- IWW job shop at Co-op Retail Services, Hampshire, England.
- Portland, OR: Organizing at Tosco Gas Station, Mallory Hotel, and Buffalo Exchange (clothing re-sale shop).
- Philadelphia Friends Center signs first contract after more than a year of negotiations.