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Submitted on Mon, 03/30/2009 - 1:02pm
From the March 28, 2009; New York Times story.
In 2007, Mr. Green completed a project nearly 50 years in the making, The Big Red Songbook, which he helped to edit. It included the lyrics to more than 250 songs in the various editions of the Little Red Songbooks published from 1909 to 1973 by the Industrial Workers of the World, best known as the Wobblies. They were gathered by John Neuhaus, an I.W.W. machinist, who left his collection to Mr. Green when he died in 1958.
Thanks to LaborStart for the heads-up.
Submitted on Tue, 03/24/2009 - 4:37pm
By Greg Rodriguez - leftovergreg [at] yahoo.com
McAllen, Texas -- The weekend of January 31st, and February 1st, 2009 was a historic one for the radical labor movement in general, but also for workers in the Rio Grande Valley (South Texas) looking to create democracy on the job. Industrial Workers of The World (IWW) – an international labor union known for its principles of direct action and working class empowerment – held a training for working residents of the Deep South Texas area. Young labor leaders from Laredo, McAllen, Edinburg, and Mission attended the two day event.
Space for the training was provided by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 5, which organizes local public employees, including Hidalgo County and Hidalgo County Head Start workers.
The training was independently organized by a group of local IWW members whose goal is to establish an officially chartered IWW branch in the months to come.
Attendees were able to be part of a very comprehensive and participatory educational experience. By means of role plays, brainstorms, and discussions, participants learned how to talk to their fellow workers about the union, the principles and structure of IWW, essential labor laws relevant to workplace organizing, and a number of other labor organizing nuts and bolts. Put shortly, the attendees - most of whom could be considered leaders at their work place - became labor organizers by the end of the two day session. Everyone seemed energized and excited.
"The training was really good. It really kept my interest throughout the entire weekend." said local IWW member and training participant, Sammy Zumwalt. "Now I feel positive and confident about organizing because I know the steps I need to take in order to have a successful union effort."
The training content was lead and presented by IWW members Jefferson Pierce (Pennsylvania) and Patrick Brenner (Illinois), whom are significantly involved with the IWW's national and international activity. They are part of the IWW Organizer Training Committee, which was formed in 2003 for the purposes of training workers across the United States to become radical labor organizers, grow IWW ranks, and to increase national solidarity with the broader labor movement.
Brenner had this to say about the trainings: "I think it's important to have these trainings because they give workers the confidence to improve their lives at work and improve the world as well. The McAllen training went very well and I found the burgeoning group very inspiring."
Submitted on Tue, 02/10/2009 - 7:45pm
By Adam W. - Industrial Worker, January, 2009
Much
has been said in the United States labor movement around the Employee
Free Choice Act (EFCA), a bill many mainstream leaders tout as the
solution to the decline of unions. With the recent election of Barrack
Obama and the Democratic Party holding the majority of seats in both
houses of the US Congress, these same leaders have their hearts set
that their millions of dollars in campaign contributions will pay off
with the passage of the bill.
The
meat of the EFCA would amend existing labor law in the US to allow
unions to gain official recognition in a workplace through a majority
of workers signing authorization cards and avoid the perilous and
employer-dominated election route. Once a union is certified, employers
have to begin sitting down with the union within ten days. If no deal
is reached government mediators can force employers to sign a first
contract, even without the vote of workers. The EFCA also would
drastically increase the penalties companies face for violating workers
rights, such as with firing workers for organizing, which happen at
record rates in the US compared to the rest of the industrialized
world. Workers could receive up to three times the back pay owed and
companies could be fined up to $20,000 for willful or repeated
violations.
What
are members of the IWW to think of this? We are a small but growing
international union with a vision of a completely different world. Not
the vague change promised by both sides in the US presidential
elections, but a world without bosses, where everyday workers are in
the driver’s seat, and where hopes and dreams for a better world can
truly be realized. Will the passage of the EFCA move us closer to our
vision of a new world? There is certainly a great deal of hope in the
change that the EFCA could bring, but I think we need to look more
critically whether substantial change will come even if the EFCA should
pass.
Submitted on Fri, 01/16/2009 - 2:42pm
Saturday 10 January 2009
The International Solidarity Commission (ISC) of the Industrial Workers of
the World (IWW) condemns in the strongest possible terms the military attack by
the Israeli state and IDF on the 1.5 million Palestinian people living in the
Gaza strip. This attack has included sustained indiscriminate aerial bombing of
urban population centers, schools, mosques, hospitals and other civilian
infrastructure. Hundreds of civilians have been killed and injured, and homes
have been destroyed. This attack is a form of collective punishment by the
Israeli state against the people in Gaza. This attack on the people in Gaza is
barbaric and represents an attack on the working class in all countries.
The ISC condemns the 18-month siege against the population in Gaza which
has prevented food, electricity, medical supplies, and other basic necessities
from reaching the people of Gaza and crippling the economy. This form of
collective punishment against the people of Gaza is barbaric and represents an
attack on the working class in all countries.
The ISC condemns rocket
attacks fired into southern Israel by various factions in Gaza. These attacks
have killed and injured Israeli civilians. This form of collective punishment
against the people of southern Israel represents an attack on the working class
in all countries.
The ISC recognizes the urgency and massive scale of
the current attacks and mass murder against the people of Gaza by the Israeli
state.
It is estimated that 850 Palestinians in Gaza and 13 Israelis have
died so far.
The IWW is a revolutionary international industrial union
that works to build unity of workers and working class people across all
borders, occupations, industries, religions, races and nationalities. The IWW
stands, and has always stood against all wars. Wars are caused by capitalist
governments, and anti-working class leaders and movements, for the economic and
political benefit of the ruling elites. We the working class are made to fight
each other against our own interests.
Submitted on Wed, 01/14/2009 - 8:04pm
We, the New York City General Membership Branch of the Industrial Workers
of the World--an international, rank-and-file labor
union--enthusiastically express solidarity with the occupants of the central offices of the
General Confederation of Labour of Greece and the Thessaloniki Trade Unions
Center. The brave, and principled, actions of our working class brothers and
sisters in Greece is an inspiration to us. We recognize that our struggle is
one, and offer the fullest capacity of our solidarity and support.
In addition, we offer our condolences to the family, friends, and
comrades of Alexandros Grigoropoulos, a 16-year old boy whose murder by the
police last month triggered a widespread uproar from workers, students and
the downtrodden throughout Greece. We also stand with Konstantina Kuneva,
an immigrant worker in Athens who recently fell victim to a severe
retaliatory attack while organizing for decent conditions for the workers of the
Attica Union of Domestic Workers and Cleaners. Consistent with the demands of
the occupants, we demand a full investigation of the attack with justice for
the perpetrators, and that Konstantina's employers comply with the just
demands of her union. We also call for an end to the abuse and lethal brutality
of Greek law enforcement and reactionaries on working people, immigrants,
and the youth.
