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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.