It is important to mark this anniversary. The past week, and the coming one, mark the 100th anniversary (June 27-July 8, 1905) of the founding convention of the Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.), affectionately known as the "Wobblies". At a time when the AFL was only accepting skilled white tradesmen, the Wobblies were the first union to accept workers of all races, both sexes and all ages (because of child labor), from all jobs. They were the first to organize unskilled factory workers, textile workers, dockworkers, farmworkers, ranch hands, lumberjacks and hoboes (migrant workers). There was no worker they wouldn't organize, no war they wouldn't oppose, no anti-free speech law they would accept, and they often paid for their courage with their lives. They pioneered tactics like the sit-in and the solidarity campaign, and they were the first to demand the 8-hour day and the abolition of child labor, which led to the uplifting of the working man and woman and the creation of the American middle class. They left us a legacy of working class art and folk music.... and they are STILL AROUND. www.iww.org/

WORKERS UNITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's a link to an article about the IWW. by Paul Buhle.

Thanks, John. Paul Buhle also co-edited the "Wobblies!" graphic novel that came out this year -- available in finer bookstores!