Mall of America Providence IWW Building a Thank Nationalization Starbucks baristas rallies against You Union Culture not the answer in join IWW 3 police brutality 7 9 Venezuela 13 INDUSTRIAL WORKER Official newspaper o f t h e i N d u s t r i a l w o r k e r s o f t h e w o r l d September 2008 #1708 Vol. 105 No. 6 $1 / £1 / €1 South Korea orders arrests of union leaders By the KCTU The South Korean government President), Nam Taek-gyu (KMWU First reacted to massive candlelight vigils and Vice-president) and all six of the top a general strike protesting a US beef elected officers of the Hyundai Motor import deal that came into effect in June Branch, Yoon Hae-mo, Kim Tae-gon, by issuing arrest warrants for the presi- Kim Jong-il, Jung Chang-bong, Joo In- dent and general secretary of the Korean koo, and Jo Chang-min. Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) Hundreds of police have surrounded and eight other union affiliates. the KCTU headquarters building, stop- The protests called for the govern- ping and searching all of those who enter ment to renegotiate the US beef import the building. Union leaders have gone protocol to have more stringent health underground to avoid arrest. protections. Korea had banned beef im- However, on July 27, the police ports in 2003 when US inspectors found arrested KCTU First Vice President Jin a case of mad cow disease in the United Young-ok in downtown Seoul, while States. The beef import trade was worth she was on her way to meet her family. US$800 million. Police had her home under surveillance The surprise lifting of the ban by and followed her husband to her. She the newly-elected government sparked is now detained in the Youngdeungpo a social movement with citizens and the Police Station. labor movement holding candlelight Declaring the strike illegal is “an vigils and demonstrations in protest. extension of the government’s anti-labor Rallies at night require police policies,” said a KCTU statement. The permission, but up to 20,000 protest- union federation denies that the general ers have attended the vigils, marching strike was illegal or a political strike. It through the streets in streams of flicker- argues that advocating the renegotia- ing red and orange. Police attempts to tion of the April 18 protocol on US beef block the protesters’ path, using police importation alongside long-standing Photo: Oipul & Co. buses, lines of riot police and water can- demands such as national, industry-level South Korean protesters sit-in at candlelight vigil before a line of riot police. nons have sometimes resulted in street collective bargaining are not related to of Korean National Police Agency, Eo clashes. wages or working conditions. The union is calling for supporters Cheong-soo to [email protected] The Korean Metal Workers’ Union The international response to the to send protest letters to President Lee and the KCTU fax +82-2-2635-1134 or (KMWU) played a leading role in orga- government’s bid to end the protests has Myung-bak by fax to +82-2-770-1690 or e-mail at [email protected]. Supporters nizing the July 2 general strike on the is- prompted a sharp international response +82-2-770-4735 or e-mail president@ are encouraged to also organize “every sue. In response, the prosecutor and the from working people. Labourstart.org cwd.go.kr or [email protected] possible form of protest.” Ministry of Labor declared the general has launched an on-line email protest with copies to the Police Commissioner strike illegal and preemptively convened under the headline, “August: a good a meeting of 66 senior prosecutors on month for crushing a labour movement.” June 30 who called it a “political strike” The International Trade Union Con- Female migrants unlikely to be and announced they would pursue federation (ITUC) also responded with a investigations against “law-breakers.” letter to the Korean president. paid minimum wage in the UK The prosecutor filed for arrest warrants “The government’s actions are By TUC, www.vulnerableworkers.org.uk against the leadership of KCTU, KMWU completely unacceptable, and we call on A new United Kingdom Trade Union For example, 55 per cent of recent and Hyundai Motor Branch on the President Lee to release Jin Young-ok Congress (TUC) research report reveals migrants work 31-48 hours per week and grounds of an ‘obstruction of business’ immediately, to withdraw all the arrest that female migrant workers are more 15.4 per cent work more than 48 hours provision in section 314 of the Penal warrants, and to cease the harassment likely than any other group to be paid per week, compared to 48.3 per cent and Code. and surveillance of the trade union lead- less than the national minimum wage. 13 per cent of workers generally. The warrants to arrest and search ers and their families. The government Reports of the abuse of migrant Migrant workers are more likely to the homes of the union leaders included should be engaging in dialogue on these workers have become increasingly com- be working as temps or in insecure work, Lee Suk-haeng (KCTU President), Jin issues of huge importance to Korean mon and the research, commissioned by such as not having a written contract, Young-ok (KCTU First Vice-presi- workers, instead of once again resort- the TUC’s Commission on Vulnerable than any other workers. Recent migrant dent), Lee Yong-shik (KCTU General ing to anti-union repression,” said ITUC Employment workers are more Secretary), Jung Gab-deuk (KMWU General Secretary Guy Ryder. and carried out than twice as by the Centre 35,000 women are illegally likely as other on Migration, denied the minimum wage. workers to be Policy and Society earning less than (COMPAS) at the appropriate Industrial Worker the University of national mini- Periodicals Postage Oxford, aimed to investigate the avail- PO Box 13476 mum wage for their age. PAID able information to uncover the reality of Women who are recent migrants to Philadelphia, PA 19101 Philadelphia, PA working life for migrant workers. the UK are 1.5 times more likely than and additional ISSN 0019-8870 COMPAS reviewed the pay, working male migrant workers to be paid less mailing offices hours, type of work and accommoda- than minimum wage. Around 35,000 ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED tion of recent migrant workers who have women are illegally denied the national been living and working in the UK for minimum wage. less than 10 years, in the West Mid- “The rogue employers who underpay lands and in the East of England/East the national minimum wage deserve zero Midlands (both areas with high levels tolerance,” said TUC General Secretary of recent migration). National informa- Brendan Barber. tion about migrant workers, such as the “Belonging to a trade union is the Government’s Labour Force Survey, was best form of defence a worker can have also included in the report. against exploitative bosses. The report found that migrant work- “UK unions are stepping up their ef- ers were much more likely to experience forts to organise migrant workers to stop problems at work, and highlighted a employers from using a poor grasp of number of worrying trends. Recent mi- English or ignorance of UK employment grants work longer hours per week than law as an excuse to treat people badly.” Subscribers: The number (top line of label ) reflects the last issue due on your subscription. most other workers. Page  • Industrial Worker • September 2008 By doing so, the committee strives to spread awareness of the IWW/Phoenix GMB and its aims among the workers IWWs remember Utah Phillips and form allies that can be called upon to aid in our own struggles. I was 19 when I first heard Utah It took a lot to silence Utah Our ideas for building solidarity Utah spoke directly to each of us in include, but are not limited to, host- I was 19 when I first heard Utah’s that filled auditorium on April 24 this ing members from other GMBs or “We Fed You All For 1,000 Years.” I was year in Rosendale, New York. It didn’t Letters welcome! unions—nationally and internation- working as a tour guide at Eastern State matter that it was his disembodied voice, ally—to do skill shares or speak about Penitentiary, an abandoned, historic speaking over a cell phone held up to a Send your letters to: [email protected] their struggles and how we can aid them, prison in Philadelphia. We were in the microphone by Pete Seeger. The strength with “Letter” in the subject. hosting events—benefits, socials, skill midst of a fight with our boss and one of of Phillips’ message was as clear as the shares, potlucks, etc.—for workers, and my co-workers handed me a crackly cas- vitality in his tone. I was happy to be Mailing address: supporting the struggles of workers in sette, telling me: “I think you’ll appreci- there to hear Utah’s response to our ben- IW, PO Box 52003, 298 Dalhousie St, accordance to the principle of mutual aid ate this.” efit concert on his behalf, happier still to Ottawa, Ontario (financially or physically attending ral- Utah’s songs and stories about the witness the warm exchange between he K1N 1S0 Canada lies, strikes, etc. on behalf of the Phoenix underside of America, those who strug- and Seeger, another elder fighting the branch). gle against the ruling class for a brighter good fight. Phoenix IWW building a As its first order of business, the world, spoke to me and I wanted to learn On that sunny spring day in Rosen- community of solidarity Phoenix GMB Solidarity Committee is more. I joined the IWW shortly after. dale, New York, this room was dedicated sending a representative to Denver and Three years ago I had the great luck to Utah Phillips: we’d all come with the The Phoenix IWW branch has cre- St. Paul to network with Wobblies dur- and pleasure getting to know Utah when intention of helping this man who’d been ated a Solidarity Committee, inspired ing the protests of the Democratic and he was in Philly for General Assembly, there for the greater “us” for decades. by the union’s International Solidarity Republican National Conventions. The what would be one of his last jaunts Utah told us of his life and plans for Commission. representative will also be travelling to away from home. I volunteered to be his the future. Sure, he sounded tired, but The goals of the committee are to Chicago, Madison, and Milwaukee to driver for the weekend. The three days I none could accept that Utah would not facilitate the establishment of other meet with Wobs in these cities. spent with him were enlightening (and get through this challenge. He told us so. General Membership Branches (GMBs) Any GMBs or individuals interested entertaining) and I will always remem- None would believe that he would pass in Arizona, build a network of solidar- in ntworking with the Phoenix GMB, ber his warmth, humor, and generosity. away just about a month later. Damn. ity and mutual aid among neighboring please contact us at phoenixiww@yahoo. Farewell, Fellow Worker. At least we can say that it took a lot to GMBs, and build and maintain networks com or myspace.com/phoenixiww. silence Utah. The echo of his work rings and relationships with local workers and Nathaniel Miller their organizations outside the IWW. IWW Phoenix GMB Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Continued on 

Industrial Worker IWW directory Australia German Language Area Starbucks Campaign: 44-61 11th St. Fl. 3, Long The Voice of Revolutionary Central Ill: PO Box 841, Charleston 61920 IWW Regional Organising Committee: M. Payne, IWW German Language Area Regional Organiz- 217-356-8247 Island City, NY 11101 [email protected] Industrial Unionism Secretary, PO Box 1866, Albany, WA www.iww.org.au ing Committee (GLAMROC): Post Fach 19 02 03, Champaign: David Johnson, 217-356-8247. www.starbucksunion.org Organization Sydney: PO Box 241, Surry Hills. 60089 Frankfurt/M, Germany iww-germany@gmx. Upstate NY GMB: PO Box 235, Albany 12201-0235, net www.wobblies.de Waukegan IWW: PO Box 274, 60079. education Melbourne: PO Box 145, Moreland 3058. 518-833-6853 or 518-861-5627. www.upstate- Frankfurt am Main: [email protected]. Iowa nyiww.org, [email protected], Rochelle emancipation British Isles Goettingen: [email protected]. Eastern Iowa GMB: 114 1/2 E. College Street Semel, del., PO Box 172, Fly Creek 13337, 607-293- IWW Regional Organising Committee: PO Box Iowa City, IA 52240 [email protected] 6489, [email protected]. Official newspaper of the 1158, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE99 4XL UK, Koeln: [email protected]. Ohio Industrial Workers [email protected], www.iww.org.uk Munich: [email protected] Maine Norumbega: Barry Rodrigue, del., PO Box 57, Bath Ohio Valley GMB: PO Box 42233, Cincinnati 45242. of the World Baristas United Campaign: baristasunited.org.uk Switzerland: [email protected] Luxembourg: [email protected] 04530. Textile & Clothing Workers IU 410, PO Box 317741, Post Office Box 23085 London GMB: c/o Freedom Press, 84b Whitechapel Cincinnati 45223. [email protected] High Street, London E1 7QX. [email protected] Maryland Cincinnati OH 45223 USA Greece Oklahoma Leicestershire GMB and DMU IU620 Job Branch: Baltimore IWW: c/o Red Emmaís, 2640 St. Paul 513.591.1905 • [email protected] Athens: Themistokleous 66 Exarhia Athens Tulsa: Karl Howeth, P. O. Box 213 Medicine Park Unit 107, 40 Halford St., Leicester LE1 1TQ, England. Street, Baltimore MD 21212, 410-230-0450, iww@ www.iww.org [email protected] 73557, 580-529-3360. [email protected] www.leicestershire-iww.org.uk redemmas.org. United States General Secretary-Treasurer: Manchester: 0791-413-1647 education@iww-man- Massachusetts Oregon Mark Damron chester.org.uk www.iww-manchester.org.uk Arizona Boston Area GMB: PO Box 391724, Cambridge Lane County: 541-953-3741. www.eugeneiww.org Norwich: [email protected] Phoenix GMB: Terry Hughes, del., 480-894-6846 and 02139. 617-469-5162. Portland GMB: 311 N. Ivy St., 97227, 503-231- General Executive Board: Bill Krist, del., 602-254-4057. Cape Cod/Southeastern Massachusetts: P.O. 5488. [email protected], pdx.iww.org Alexis Buss, Nick Durie, www.iww-norwich.org.uk Box 315, West Barnstable, MA 02668. His email is Heather Gardner, Jason Krpan, West Midlands: The Warehouse, 54-57 Allison Street Arkansas Pennsylvania Fayetteville: PO Box 283, 72702. 479-200-1859, [email protected] Adam Lincoln, Bryan Roberts, Digbeth, Birmingham, England, B5 5TH Lancaster GMB: PO Box 796, 17608. membership@ [email protected]. Western Mass. Public Service IU 650 Branch: IWW, LancasterIWW.org, http://LancasterIWW.org Evan Wolfson. [email protected] www.wmiww.org Po Box 1581, Northampton 01061. Philadelphia GMB: PO Box 831, Monroeville, PA Tyne and Wear: [email protected] DC Editor & Graphic designer: DC GMB (Washington): 741 Morton St NW, Wash- Western Massachusetts GMB: 43 Taylor Hill Rd., 15146. 215-222-1905. [email protected] Union Peter Moore Scotland ington DC, 20010. 571-276-1935. Montague 01351. 413-367-9356. Hall: 4530 Baltimore Ave., 19143. [email protected] Aberdeen: 38 King Street, Aberdeen. Paper Crane Press IU 450 Job Shop: papercrane- California Michigan AB24 5AX , [email protected] [email protected], 610-358-9496. Mailing Coordinators: Los Angeles GMB: PO Box 65822, 90065. Detroit GMB: 22514 Brittany Avenue, E. Detroit, MI Clydeside GMB: [email protected] 48021. [email protected] Pittsburgh GMB : PO Box 831, Monroeville, PA Jon Bekken & Matt White, North Coast GMB: PO Box 844, Eureka 95502-0844. Philadelphia GMB iwwscotland.wordpress.com. 707-725-8090. BST Angie Hart: [email protected] Grand Rapids GMB: PO Box 6629, 49516. Cole 15146. [email protected] Dumfries IWW: 0845 053 0329, iww_dg@yahoo. Dorsey, secretary, 616-881-5263. Rhode Island Send contributions and letters San Francisco Bay Area GMB: (Curbside and Buy- co.uk , www.geocities.com/iww_dg/ back IU 670 Recycling Shops; Stonemountain Fabrics Central Michigan: David Finet, 5007 W. Columbia Providence GMB: P.O. Box 5797 Providence RI to: IW, c/o PO Box 52003, 298 Edinburgh IWW: c/o 17 W. Montgomery Place, Job Shop and IU 410 Garment and Textile Worker’s Rd., Mason 48854. 517-676-9446, happyhippie66@ 02903, 401-451-3320. [email protected] Dalhousie St, Ottawa, ON K1N 1S0 hotmail.com EH7 5HA. 0131-557-6242 Industrial Organizing Committee; Shattuck Cinemas) Texas Canada. PO Box 11412, Berkeley 94712. 510-845-0540. Canada Minnesota Dallas & Fort Worth: 1618 6th Ave, Fort Worth, Evergreen Printing: 2335 Valley Street, Oakland, CA Twin Cities GMB: PO Box 14111, Minneapolis 55414. TX 76104 Next deadline is Alberta 94612. 510-835-0254 [email protected] 612- 339-1266. [email protected] September 5, 2008. Washington Edmonton GMB: PO Box 75175, T6E 6K1. edmon- San Jose: Adam W., [email protected] Red River IWW: POB 103, Moorhead, MN 56561 [email protected], edmonton.iww.ca. Bellingham: P.O. Box 1793, 98227. BellinghamI- US IW mailing address: Colorado 218-287-0053. [email protected] [email protected] 360-920-6240. British Columbia POB 13476, Philadelphia Denver GMB: c/o P&L Printing Job Shop: 2298 Clay, Missouri Tacoma IWW: P.O. Box 2052, Tacoma, WA 98401 Vancouver IWW: 204-2274 York Ave., Vancouver, BC, Denver 80211. 303-433-1852. Kansas City GMB: c/o 5506 Holmes St., 64110. [email protected] PA 19101 USA V6K 1C6. Phone/fax 604-732-9613. gmb-van@iww. Four Corners (AZ, CO, NM, UT): delegate: 970-903- 816-523-3995. Olympia GMB: PO Box 2775, 98507, 360-878-1879 ISSN 0019-8870 ca, vancouver.iww.ca, vancouverwob.blogspot.com 8721. [email protected] Montana [email protected] Periodicals postage Manitoba Two Rivers GMB: PO Box 9366, Missoula, MT 59807, paid Philadelphia PA. Winnipeg GMB: IWW, c/o WORC, PO Box 1, R3C 2G1. Florida Seattle GMB: 1122 E. Pike #1142, 98122-3934. [email protected] 406-459-7585 [email protected]. Garth Hardy, del., garth. Gainesville GMB: 1021 W. University, 32601. 352- 206-339-4179. [email protected], Postmaster: Send address [email protected]. 246-2240, [email protected] Construction Workers IU 330: Dennis Georg, del. www.seattleiww.net 406-490-3869, [email protected] changes to IW, Post Office Box Pensacola GMB: PO Box 2662, Pensacola, FL Ontario 32513-2662. 840-437-1323, iwwpensacola@ Wisconsin New Jersey Madison GMB: PO Box 2442, 53703-2442. www. 23085, Cincinnati OH 45223 USA Ottawa-Outaouais GMB & GDC Local 6: PO Box yahoo.com, www.angelfire.com/fl5/iww 52003, 298 Dalhousie St. K1N 1S0, 613-225-9655 Central New Jersey GMB: PO Box: 10021, New madisoniww.info. [email protected] Hobe Sound: P. Shultz, 8274 SE Pine Circle, 33455- Fax: 613-274-0819, [email protected] French-lan- Brunswick 08904. 732-801-7001 xaninjurytoallx@ Lakeside Press IU 450 Job Shop: 1334 Williamson, SUBSCRIPTIONS 6608, 772-545-9591 [email protected] guage del: Mathieu Brule [email protected]. yahoo.com, [email protected] 53703. 608-255-1800. www.lakesidepress.org. Individual Subscriptions: $18 Georgia Northern New Jersey GMB: PO Box 844, Saddle Madison Infoshop Job Shop: 1019 Williamson St. International Subscriptions: $20 Peterborough: c/o PCAP, 393 Water St. #17, K9H 3L7, 705-749-9694, [email protected] Atlanta: Keith Mercer, del., 404-992-7240, iw- Brook 07663. 201-873-6215. [email protected] #B, 53703. 608-262-9036. Library Subs: $24/year [email protected] Union dues includes subscription. Toronto GMB: c/o Libra Knowledge & Information New Mexico Just Coffee Job Shop IU 460: 1129 E. Wilson, Svcs Co-op, PO Box 353 Stn. A, M5W 1C2. 416-919- Hawaii Albuquerque: 202 Harvard SE, 87106-5505. 505- Madison, WI 53703 608-204-9011justcoffee.coop Published ten times per year. 7392. [email protected] Honolulu: Tony Donnes, del., [email protected] 331-6132, [email protected]. GDC Local 4: P.O. Box 811, 53701. 608-262-9036. Articles not so designated do not Railroad Workers IU 520: 608-358-5771. reflect the IWW’s official position. Finland Illinois New York Helsinki: Reko Ravela, Otto Brandtintie 11 B 25, Chicago GMB: 37 S Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL NYC GMB: PO Box 7430, JAF Station, New York City [email protected]. Press Date: August 18, 2008 00650. [email protected] 60607. Phone: 312-638-9155. 10116, [email protected]. wobblycity.org Milwaukee GMB: PO Box 070632, 53207. 414- 481-3557. September 2008 • Industrial Worker • Page  Mall of America Starbucks baristas join IWW Protest 27 store closures in Minnesota, demand transfers or fair severance By Starbucks Workers’ Union Baristas at the Mall of America Star- The protesting baristas are members for union activity. “But this doesn’t have company has been cited multiple times bucks in Twin Cities, Minnesota, walked of the Starbucks Workers Union, which to happen. Our message is hope—even at for illegal union-busting by the National off the café floor on July 21. is a campaign of the IWW. Starbucks Starbucks in the Mall of America, we can Labor Relations Board. The company They delivered a demand letter to previously backtracked on its refusal organize and fight!” settled two complaints against it and is management calling for just treatment of to disclose which locations would be While portraying itself as a ‘socially- awaiting a decision by a judge in New all employees affected by Starbucks’ clo- shuttered after the union and others responsible’ employer, Starbucks pays York on more than 30 additional work- sure of stores nationwide. The surprise condemned the company for leaving baristas a poverty wage of $7.60 per ers’ rights violations. Starbucks’ large job action came in the wake of the coffee workers in a nerve-wracking limbo. hour. In addition, all retail hourly work- anti-unio operation is operated in con- giant’s announcement that it will close The store action makes the Mall of ers at Starbucks in the United States are junction with the Akin Gump law firm 600 stores, including 27 in Minnesota. America location the first Starbucks in part-time employees with no guaranteed and the Edelman public relations firm. The baristas demanded an option to Minnesota, and the first store in the Mall number of work hours per week. Accord- The IWW Starbucks Workers Union transfer to other stores and a fair sever- of America, to have a public union pres- ing to Starbucks figures released to the is a grassroots organization of over 200 ance package for affected workers. Star- ence. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 40.9 per cent current and former employees demand- bucks reportedly plans to give workers “With the skyrocketing cost of living, of its employees (including managers) ing secure work hours and a living wage. just one month notice before laying them workers have no other choice than to are covered by the company health care The union has members throughout off with two weeks’ pay. The company stand up for improvements on the job. package, a lower percentage than the the United States fighting for systemic will insist that some baristas transfer. If The alternative is a continued decline oft-criticized Wal-Mart, which insures 47 change at the company and remedying transfer offers are refused, the company into poverty and a degraded quality of per cent of its workforce. individual grievances with management. will refuse to pay the two weeks’ sever- life for working families,” said Erik For- Since the launch of the IWW cam- The SWU is especially active in New ance. man, a barista at the store recently fired paign at Starbucks on May 17, 2004, the York City, Chicago, and Grand Rapids. No heat at Ohio textile shop sparks complaint, workers win NLRB ruling By Textile and Clothing Workers IU 410 The United States’ National Labor situation the next day and brought in a Relations Board ruled in favor of an space desk heater for the whole build- IWW organizer who filed a complaint ing. When K. questioned him about the about the lack of heat in a clothing print- size of the heater for such a large factory, ing and embroidery company in Ohio. Mason threatened to write him up and Tom K. filed the complaint in May then suspended him without pay for one 2008 over a one-day suspension in De- day. cember 2007 and threats to “write him When the workers returned to work up” (discipline) and fire him. after New Year’s Day, Mason had made The Ohio Valley IWW filed the Un- no improvements to the heating. The fair Labor Practice on K.’s behalf in May. temperature in the shop was 28 degrees The t-shirt and uniform printing and Fahrenheit (-2 degrees Celsius) and it embroidery company is owned by Sean was much colder outside. Two of five Mason, who verbally abused employees employees quit. Another employee in- and threatened them with punishment. volved with the meeting was then laid off When they talked to him about working a month later. conditions, he punished them. After repeated individual attempts, In December 2007, four of the all three employees were still waiting for company’s six employees, including K., their last paycheck as of August. approached Mason about working in no Mason now must comply with the heat. Mason said he would remedy the NLRB ruling. IWW Constitution Preamble Join the IWW Today Wild Edibles files The working class and the employing he IWW is a union for all workers, a union dedicated to organizing on the class have nothing in common. There can job, in our industries and in our communities both to win better conditions for bankruptcy be no peace so long as hunger and want T today and to build a world without bosses, a world in which production and By Brandworkers International are found among millions of working distribution are organized by workers ourselves to meet the needs of the entire popu- The Chapter 11 Bankruptcy petition people and the few, who make up the em- lation, not merely a handful of exploiters. filed by Wild Edibles, Inc. is the latest ploying class, have all the good things of We are the Industrial Workers of the World because we organize industrially in a year-long series of foot-dragging life. Between these two classes a struggle ­– that is to say, we organize all workers on the job into one union, rather than divid- must go on until the workers of the world maneuvers by owner Richard Martin to organize as a class, take possession of the ing workers by trade, so that we can pool our strength to fight the bosses together. avoid accountability for years of illegal means of production, abolish the wage Since the IWW was founded in 1905, we have recognized the need to build a truly employment practices. system, and live in harmony with the international union movement in order to confront the global power of the bosses That Wild Edibles continues to earth. and in order to strengthen workers’ ability to stand in solidarity with our fellow operate as a ‘going concern’; it did not We find that the centering of the man- workers no matter what part of the globe they happen to live on. file a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy petition to agement of industries into fewer and fewer We are a union open to all workers, whether or not the IWW happens to have liquidate its operations. Legal counsel hands makes the trade unions unable to representation rights in your workplace. We organize the worker, not the job, recog- for Wild Edibles workers are currently cope with the ever-growing power of the nizing that unionism is not about government certification or employer recognition assessing all options to respond to the employing class. The trade unions foster but about workers coming together to address our common concerns. Sometimes Chapter 11 filing, including a motion to a state of affairs which allows one set of this means striking or signing a contract. Sometimes it means refusing to work with dismiss the petition as a misuse of the workers to be pitted against another set an unsafe machine or following the bosses’ orders so literally that nothing gets done. Bankruptcy Code designed to evade the of workers in the same industry, thereby Sometimes it means agitating around particular issues or grievances in a specific class-action overtime lawsuit that the helping defeat one another in wage wars. workplace, or across an industry. company faces. Moreover, the trade unions aid the employ- Because the IWW is a democratic, member-run union, decisions about what issues The Wild Edibles workers are still ing class to mislead the workers into the to address and what tactics to pursue are made by the workers directly involved. willing to negotiate a reasonable resolu- belief that the working class have interests tion of their outstanding claims to bring in common with their employers. TO JOIN: Mail this form with a check or money order for initiation the company in compliance with all These conditions can be changed and and your first month’s dues to: IWW, Post Office Box 23085, Cincinnati OH the interest of the working class upheld applicable workplace laws. Wild Edibles 45223, USA. owner Richard Martin has thus far opted only by an organization formed in such Initiation is the same as one month’s dues. Our dues are calculated ac- a way that all its members in any one in- for a protracted and costly battle rather cording to your income. If your monthly income is under $1,000, dues are dustry, or all industries if necessary, cease than a settlement fair to both sides. $6 a month. If your monthly income is between $1,000 - $2,000, dues are work whenever a strike or lockout is on in Tavern on the Green and China Grill any department thereof, thus making an $12 a month. If your monthly income is over $2,000 a month, dues are $18 are the latest restaurants to quit Wild injury to one an injury to all. a month. Dues may vary outside of North America and in Regional Organiz- Edibles’ customer list. Other restau- Instead of the conservative motto, “A ing Committees (Australia, British Isles, German Language Area). rants who have disassociated from Wild fair day’s wage for a fair day’s work,” we __I affirm that I am a worker, and that I am not an employer. Edibles include Pastis, La Goulue, Union must inscribe on our banner the revolu- Square Cafe, Mermaid Inn, Giorgione, tionary watchword, “Abolition of the wage __I agree to abide by the IWW constitution Sushi Samba, and One if by Land, Two system.” __I will study its principles and acquaint myself with its purposes. if by Sea. It is the historic mission of the work- Name:______In the last year, Wild Edibles has had ing class to do away with capitalism. The Address:______an injunction placed on it by a federal army of production must be organized, judge to stop retaliation against its work- not only for the everyday struggle with City, State, Post Code, Country:______ers; two complaints from the National capitalists, but also to carry on production Occupation:______Labor Relations Board; and it continues when capitalism shall have been over- to lose key customers concerned about thrown. By organizing industrially we are Phone:______Email:______its record on workers’ rights. Despite it forming the structure of the new society Amount Enclosed:______all, Wild Edibles continues to avoid set- within the shell of the old. Membership includes a subscription to the Industrial Worker. tling with its employees. Page  • Industrial Worker • September 2008 Activist online translators?

As anyone who has done any kind of knowing the phrase “fundamental union global solidarity work will tell you, the rights.” A phrase like that is used all the number one problem we face is the prob- time. lem of language. Google itself knows that these trans- It’s not a problem companies lations are often very poor and it does face. When McDonald’s wants to sum- invite you to suggest improvements. But mon all its managers from around the I wonder how many people actually do world to attend a meeting, the compa- this and if suggestions are included. ny decides what language everyone will I’ve recently learned about another speak: English. service, this Unions one offering can’t do that. real-time trans- We believe in lation of on- cultural and lin- line chat. It’s guistic diversity called MeGlobe and equality. So (meglobe.com) instead, inter- and it prom- national union ises to translate meetings are from and to 15 incredibly expen- different lan- sive events due in guages, among large part to the them some of the need for simultaneous translation. And key Asian languages. being expensive, they are held infre- This sounds like something that is quently. bound to work poorly, and I was initially The Internet has long promised dismissive, but was intrigued to read this to help solve the problem and for about their service: “Every time you send more than a decade we’ve had online a instant message on MeGlobe’s network translators that promise much such as you have the opportunity to make our Google Translate, AltaVista’s Babelfish translations better. When you notice that and Babylon. a translation on MeGlobe is a little off, Some of these tools are based on let us know by ‘editing’ the translation. commercially available software and Your buddy will immediately see the cor- when you buy the software, you get the rected translation and at the same time chance to tweak the dictionaries and im- you are contributing to our knowledge prove the translation–for yourself. At base. least one global union federation that I “These contributions are used to know of invested a considerable amount teach MeGlobe to become a better trans- of money, time and effort to customize lator. Every correction from the com- one such translation tool in order to have munity brings us closer to our goal of it better serve trade union purposes. But erasing the borders of language.” all the work they did could only be used In other words, this service aims within the organisation. No one outside to make use of the “wisdom of crowds” could benefit. to constantly improve its translations. At Now imagine if we could have an the moment, to use MeGlobe you need to online translation tool that instead sign up and it’s free. It would be much of relying on a fixed dictionary was actu- better for this kind of tool to be embed- ally being continually updated by those ded in existing instant messagers that who use it. And now imagine that those people already use–including Skype, using it numbered in the millions. MSN, AIM, and ICQ. At the moment, even the best of I know that some trade unionists these online translators usually gets have already begun trialling MeGlobe. it wrong. For example, Google Translate I hope it works. The key to it working is (which is actually very good) takes the a massive number of people using it–and French phrase “La Corée du Sud doit responsive software. respecter les droits fondamentaux syn- That second part is crucial as well. dicaux” and translates it as “The South I’ve now told Google how to proper- Korea must respect fundamental rights ly translate the French phrase I gave union”. before, and it’s still coming out as “The A human would have made the South Korea must respect fundamental obvious corrections, most importantly rights union.” IWWs remember Utah Continued from  as loudly as the music onstage that day Utah and Rubber Cockroaches from Pete Seeger, Dar Williams, Red- It was sad news. Fellow Worker wood Moose, Sarah Underhill, Norm Bruce “Utah” Phillips passed away Wennet, Bill Vanaver, my own Flames quietly in his sleep on May 24, 2008. He of Discontent, and others. Utah came was one my mentors. to champion the IWW and its Little He was passionately committed to Red Songbooks, making full use of the the belief that people could change the amazing heritage of song within the world and he insisted on the power of Wobbly repertoire. His rounded bari- remembering. He was fond of the adage tone adorned more than one collection that “You don’t know where you’re going of IWW recordings. In between writing unless you know where you came from.” many powerful originals songs such The elders of our community came as “All Used Up”, Utah brought to life up with some darned good ideas, one the ballads of Joe Hill, Ralph Chaplin, of them being the idea of the One Big T-Bone Slim and the “Unknown Prole- Union of all workers. Remembering is a tariat”, who could have been most any subversive thing because it points to the of us. But Utah never failed to see the “not now.” trove of unexpected items—pins, clown set up bellow. The Centre’s cook was importance in the smallest of the small. The powers that be and their defend- noses, rubber cockroaches. The cock- brought in. Oddly enough, Utah became some- ers want us to think that the way things roach routine was something he picked Why did he do it? For fun and to thing of a cult figure with the college are, are the way they have always been up from the hobo jungles. teach some real history. This just isn’t crowd in recent years. Two strong CDs and always will be. Nonsense. Yes, I saw Utah use the routine at the the stuff one learns in school, where with Ani DiFranco brought him a bit of Utah’s stories were based on objec- Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) Edu- you won’t learn much about the history notoriety, but Utah remained, well— tive reality but he never let the facts cational Centre in Port Elgin, Ontario. of the working class, the great majority Utah. Sometimes singing and fighting hamper a good yarn. They were artfully While we sat eating with 200 other of us in this society. We’ve been made are just that interchangeable. Each time crafted in a Mark Twainesque style full trade unionists in the huge cafeteria I invisible. we lift up a guitar, put pen to paper, of eloquence that challenged this day caught him reaching into his pocket. “Oh Workers’ songs, stories and poetry speak our mind or simply count our and age of the Internet, iPods and text no!” I said to myself. “Please don’t do are the real history needing to be pre- blessings, let’s pause a moment for Utah messaging that has dumbed us down and this to me!” Sure enough, he slipped that served and they became his playground Phillips. made us inarticulate. damned rubber cockroach ever so neatly of subversion. Utah disbelieved the no- John Pietaro, New York Utah’s pockets were often a treasure into those mashed potatoes and then Continued on  September 2008 • Industrial Worker • Page  US working poor lose ground in Midwest and Northeast US Poverty in the United States has In tune with the economic boom on the made a comeback in the last five years, West Coast, there was a drop of 42 per according to a report issued by The cent of people who no longer receive the Brookings Institution, a Washington- low income tax credit in that region. based think tank. “It’s clear that despite gains in the In the Nineties, the number of low- 1990s, we have not solved the prob- income working people living in poor lem of concentrated poverty,” stated neighborhoods had declined--mostly Elizabeth Kneebone, lead author of the because people were getting and holding report and senior research analyst at the better paid jobs. Metropolitan Policy Program. “As the However, in the last five years that economy stalled this decade, many of the trend is turning back, with the number poorest communities were left behind of poor people living in low-income first and fastest. The weak economic neighborhoods increased by 41 per cent forecast ahead makes it likely that we since 1999. will finish this decade having ceded some The result is reinforced economic of the stunning progress we achieved segregation: poorer quality schools, against concentrated poverty in the prior a lack of good jobs, a fall in the popu- decade.” lation’s health, more crime, and less The report recommends changes so opportunity. that poor people are not always the “last The study, “Reversal of Fortune: A in, first out” of the job market. Photo: Stu Neatby New Look at Concentrated Poverty in “Concentrated poverty is prob- Members and supporters of the Ottawa-Outaouais IWW branch in Canada the 2000s,” uses data from the United lematic because there’s basically less picketed Hooley’s for one hour and forced the owners of Hooley’s restaurant States’ national tax agency to measure opportunity for people to really improve to pay a court-ordered settlement with an IWW member. “concentrated working poverty”, defined their living standards,” Jared Bernstein, as the share of low-income tax filers director of the Living Standards Pro- Ottawa IWW picket wins $2,500 (those receiving the Earned Income Tax gram at the Economic Policy Institute in Credit) living in communities where at Washington, told the Christian Science Ottawa-Outaouais IWW members him, but it refused to comply. On August least 40 per cent of all filers receive the Monitor. and community supporters won $2,500 6, 20 picketers marched in front of its EITC. “But [the solution] can’t just be a owed to member Miguel Yanes Lobaina. doors, with IWWs holding signs saying, The study showed that 34 of 58 ma- matter of moving people out of poor Lobaina, who had worked as a “Pay What’s Owed.” It took less than an jor cities aalyzed had seen an increase, neighborhoods. We also have to think dishwasher before being fired, had won hour for the owner to ask for a meeting particularly in the traditional industrial about creating opportunities within a Superior Court of Canada ruling on with the picketers and sign a cheque to regions of the Midwest and Northeast. those neighborhoods.” March 5 ordering Hooley’s restaurant to pay Lobaina. It didn’t bounce either. Sex workers campaign to decriminalize jobs By Erotic Service Providers Union (ESPU) The campaign to decriminalize pros- Doogan. “Criminalizing sex workers has The San Francisco Department of titution held a kick-off rally and press been putting workers at risk of violence Elections announced on July 18 that conference on July 22, 2008 in front of and discrimination for far too long.” the measure prohibiting city officials the Polk Street entrance of City Hall. The San Francisco Democratic Coun- from spending money arresting and “Under criminalization, sex work- ty Central Committee and the Harvey prosecuting people for prostitution, and ers don’t even have the right to form Milk Democratic GBLT have endorsed mandating equal legal protection for sex unions,” said Slava, an IWW organizer the initiative to date. workers, has qualified for the November involved in collecting signatures for The prostitution reform measure 2008 ballot. The department randomly the campaign, on the city hall steps. joins two other voter-submitted mea- sampled 500 signatures of the 12,745 “We want sex workers to advocate for sures on the local Nov. 4 ballot, along signatures and found 80 per cent of themselves and not to have government with eight measures put on the ballot by them valid. agencies or any other agencies or anyone the mayor or members of the Board of “This is a happy day for San Fran- else advocate for them.” Supervisors, with many others expected Graphic: America Meredith ciscans who want government to focus “It is way past time that the recom- to be added in the next several weeks. on fighting real crimes like homicides police consensual sex between adults,” mendations of the Board of Supervi- For updates on the campaign, visit and robberies, and are tired of seeing said Starchild, a sex worker activist and sors 1996 Prostitution Task Force were www.espu-ca.org. resources wasted in a futile effort to spokesperson for the campaign. implemented,” said organizer Maxine With files from the IW.

Troublemaking in Edmonton for 10 years Canadian boss fires 180 French workers, Canadian IWWs respond

Photo: Edward Wong The IWW banner is a picket all by itself at a Loomis store in Toronto.

By Toronto IWW Despite managerial incompetence, Photo: J. Gysbers On July 27, IWW and Common workers improved the sales volume in Edmonton IWWs sing a solidarity farewell at Edmonton branch’s 10-year Cause members picketed the Loomis art their stores and notably improved their celebration. Left to right: Katia Reid, Michael McNichol, Jessica Hawthorn, store at 130 Spadina Avenue in Toronto, company’s prospects. Brendan Bruce, Mikhail Bjorge, Sachia Longo, and Nick Driedger. which is owned by De Serres. Yet, one year later, on June 11, By J. Gysbers Marc DeSerres, a celebrated Quebec DeSerres told his board of directors at The IWW Edmonton GMB celebrat- ryn, and Mark Edwards, who also led us entrepreneur and the man behind 26 DeSerres France that he would not be ed its 10-year anniversary on July 19. in singing some old wobbly favourites. cross-Canada art supply stores, took over injecting more money into the company. Local wobblies played soccer, ate bar- During the ‘open mic’, we enjoyed poetry France’s Artacréa SA in May 2007. He By July, a state of suspension of pay- beque, listened to music and ate some and many kind words about the told French workers and customers that ments was declared. The result? Some more delicious food at the Ukrainian solidarity that our branch consistently he would turn the company around and 180 jobs are at stake, leaving “many Hall. shows to its members and to others in criticized previous owners for not invest- families [that] will find themselves in Master of Ceremonies Gordie the labour movement. ing enough in the enterprise. He prom- distress,” according to the French Na- Thomas gave an inspiring speech about The party was a little bittersweet, ised to renovate his stores and upgrade tional Confederation of Labour (CNT). the powerful past and future of the as the branch is saying goodbye to six their information systems, describing his In solidarity with the workers of De- branch, while Brendan Bruce regaled the fiercely committed members who are French investment as “an extraordinary Serres France, the protesters demanded audience with cheesy radical jokes. We moving away to pursue new opportuni- opportunity.” The year of 2008 would be that DeSerres provide financial compen- enjoyed live music from Rhiannon, Mer- ties in other provinces. a year of profit, he said. sation for every dismissed worker. Page  • Industrial Worker • September 2008 Rambling to Revolution: Hobohemia and the IWW By Joe Grim Feinberg When the Industrial Workers of the which meant that even people far from But the IWW also had in its ranks where soapboxes once rested beneath World formed in 1905, its founders had the centers of production had a legiti- thousands of members whose relation- the feet of unbathed orators. little idea that their union would soon mate role in creating the One Big Union ship to work was so tenuous that they Amidst the wreckage of present-day become North America’s foremost orga- that would abolish the whole wage had little trouble imagining a world “progress,” hope may rise again along- nization of hobos. system. No part of industry could be left where work would exist no longer. They side misery. After a long detour, Fordism Organizers set their sights on the out, no gear left out of reach of a militant lived in misery, riding the rails from to some and the Welfare State to others, stable work forces of massive mines worker’s wooden shoe. hobo jungle to town, living off wages precarious labor is again the salient fea- and mills; but their greatest successes If the strategic centers of industry from months before or begging for food ture of the day. The illusion of stability came among migrant laborers on farms, were important, the fact soon emerged and endlessly fleeing the police. They has faded away. in forests, and at sea. They looked to that even the reserve army of the were half-forced into this situation by a Immigration rises and soon we will the crowded, urban east; but the rank- unemployed was a crucial piece of the cruel economy, but they half-chose it of all be migrants. Rare is the worker who and-file rode West across empty, dusty capitalist machinery. Its members had their own free will, having experienced keeps a job for months, and no more plains. interests and were interesting; they had enough of work to know that they should common is the workplace that does not The IWW grew most markedly fighting and singing and moving spirit, avoid it at all costs. break apart and move away. among groups that were by most stan- and—until their power was broken by Runaways from wage slavery, the If there was ever a need for migrant dards hardly industrial and barely even the state—they put more fear into the hobo camps filled with songs of better workers to come together in One Big working. This came from a fortuitous hearts of the US ruling class than any lands and stories of adventure in a world Union, where we keep our membership meeting of situation and strategy. The factory workers organized by craft, no made insipid by time-clocks and top as we move from job to job and where we international labor movement saw the matter how strategically powerful they hats. They used their relative leisure to keep our union as jobs move from place future of the world in large factories, but might seem. discuss human existence and the politics to place, the time is now. the world of stable, large-scale workplac- As more precarious workers joined of the day; they brought their insights to The last remnants of commu- es was still only a fraction of the world of the IWW, they began to lay the founda- the public in parks and on street corners nity hang together each day by a looser capitalism. tions for a new critique of work itself. from coast to coast. Their “Hobohemia” thread. But the possibility for new com- Worse still, such workplaces were of- The IWW is remarkable in its historical laid the foundations for a proletarian munity may rise again. ten not even a growing fraction. During moment as a radical labor organization public sphere the likes of which few of us We are forced out of work, but we the period of the IWW’s greatest growth that not only exalted the muscular “com- have ever seen, raised as we are in cities can begin to envision a world in which (1905-early 1920s) labor only became monwealth of toil” but also sang praises that are hardly cities, on streets overrun work is not work at all. We are forced more precarious. The North American to the “big rock candy mountain… where with cars, in parks with more poodles from our homes—but we can begin to proletariat responded by staying con- they hung the jerk who invented work,” than people surrounded by iron fences build better places to dwell. stantly on the move, similar to today’s as IWW member Harry “Haywire Mac” increasingly rootless workforce. McClintock wrote in his song. The IWW’s particular understanding IWW members organized as work- of industry and work that disposed the ers against wage work. They did this first union so well to organizing non-indus- of all as any workers do: by recognizing trial non-workers. The IWW’s greatest that it is both a great misfortune and strategic innovation was to organize not a great opportunity to be a worker, a by “craft” but by “industry.” All workers member of the class uniquely exploited in an industry should organize together, and uniquely capable of overcoming it. Frank Little’s grave restored Replace yourself By J. Pierce The primary task of an organizer is there or this thing doesn’t move.” We to build more organizers. We need more need to help others break out and step and more working class leaders and the up. It’s a sign of respect to ask people to way to do this is to constantly replace do difficult things. yourself. Train your replacement for an officer Here are a few easy ways to help position: “Hey, Mei, you got a second? you build up your successors: Reveal Has anyone talked to you about becom- your sources so others can think with ing the chair of the Committee? I’m you: “I had a long talk with MK recently. going to be stepping down at the end of He really convinced me that we should my term and you’re everyone’s pick for reorganize as a shop committee instead this position. Put some thought into it. of having one or two ‘stewards’. He gave Meanwhile, I’ll start showing you what me this awesome article on how IWW the job entails.” If we train new officers shop committees used to work.” Tell- properly and regularly, we can avoid ing others where you got an idea from crust and dust in our leadership struc- Photo: Zena Beth McGlashan demonstrates that you think of them as tures. IBEW International member Bob Brock performs “There is Power in a equals. You also provide an opportunity Encourage other members to read Union” at the dedication of Frank Little’s newly refurbished memorial. The for them to question your sources. what you’ve read: “For those that didn’t grave stone reads Frank Little 1879-1917, Slain by Capitalist Interests for Show others how it’s done and take make it to the Summit, Maxine did a Organizing and Inspiring his Fellow Men.” them through the process: “Hey Keith, killer presentation on the legal barriers has anyone showed you how to post an to organizing in her industry. It totally By Amanda Curtis article to iww.org? I’m going to post reminded me of this thing I read in an Carpenters Local 112 recently refur- bished site. Several workers spoke, sang, that write-up on the strike right now. old One Big Union Monthly. So I ran bished the grave of IWW labor martyr and read poetry. Following the graveside Let me show you how to do it. We need off some photocopies of that article for Frank Little at the Mountain View memorial, a reception was held in the another person who can post.” Pass on y’all to check out. I think it will help us Cemetery in Butte, Montana, which had Carpenter’s Union Hall in uptown Butte. the technical know-how so others can be come up with some good strategies we fallen into disrepair. Frank Little, 38, came to Butte to ‘experts’ just like you. can try.” In making IWW history and The Pacific Northwest Regional organize for the IWW following the Encourage people because you principles accessible, you cut down on Council of Carpenters donated a $1,000 deadliest mining disaster in US history, believe in them and you know they can the knowledge monopoly and pass on restoration fund while workers Jerry the Granite Mountain-Speculator Mine do it: “We really need this message to valuable lessons and experiences. Ball, Mike Boysza, Michael C. Boysza, Fire Disaster. Demanding safer work- get to the people upfront. Can you have a Introduce people to each other and Jody Hollingsworth, Jeremy Lee, Davin ing conditions, several thousand min- talk with Shannon? She respects you and have them exchange phone numbers: Quist, and Mick Wonnacott volunteered ers went on strike. When Frank Little you’re the best person to talk to her.” “Tenaya, have you met Steve yet? Steve, to complete the work. came to help with the strike, the miners You run faster for coaches that want to this is Tenaya. Yeah, you guys both work A sunken concrete tablet was re- became pro-IWW. win. We’ve got to show that what we in the same industry and would have moved and a new one poured in its place After the union hall was destroyed, do matters and that we believe in each some awesome stories to tell each other. bearing the name “Little.” Boysza welded copper company thugs abducted Little other. You two ought to collaborate and submit iron fencing bearing the IWW logo, on August 1 from his boarding house in Ask people to do things that are diffi- something for the next newsletter.” By which was placed in the new tablet. Dal- the middle of the night. He was dragged cult. Move them to take on responsibili- introducing and ensuring info exchange, las, a retired worker from Travillion behind a car to the bottom of the Butte ties outside their comfort level: “I’m glad you avoid ‘Old Boys Clubs’ and now Johnson (the donors of the original Hill where he was hung from a railroad you’ve been talking things up so much at information doesn’t have to go through headstone) colored the epitaph which trestle. your shop. You’re one of our best guys, you. The task that we have as IWWs is to reads “Slain by the capitalist interest for A warning was left on his body that Jerm. The next step is for you to start build working class leaders everywhere organizing and inspiring his fellow men.” read “First and last warning, 3-7-77”. coming to the Industrial Organizing we go. We are constantly looking for On the anniversary of Little’s lynch- The numbers are thought to be the mea- Committee meetings. I know its gonna opportunities to teach others what we ing, August 1, workers and community surements of a Montana grave site and be tight with your schedule but we’re know so that they could do what we do members gathered to dedicate the refur- was used by vigilante gangs in the state. gonna help you fit it in. You have to be without us. September 2008 • Industrial Worker • Page  Providence IWW rallies against police brutality

By Justin Kelley, Providence IWW On the first anniversary of the North mutter talked about the case so far and Providence police attack on an IWW thanked everyone for their continued warehouse workers’ solidarity march, 75 support. people rallied on August 10 against po- Svoboda is facing one charge each lice brutality and in celebration of IWW of assaulting an officer, resisting arrest member Alexandra Svoboda, who has and disorderly conduct. Originally felony partially recovered from a dislocated leg charges, they have since been dropped to and ruptured artery. She remains unable misdemeanors. Jason faces one count of to work due to her injuries. obstruction of justice. Svoboda is expect- IWW members from Massachusetts, ing her case to go to trial by January New York, Philadelphia, Providence, 2009. Vermont, and elsewhere gathered in the When Svoboda, wearing a leg brace, warm afternoon sun in Donigian park stood up from the chair where she sat with members of the Providence com- during the rally to speak, the assembled munity to reject police brutality and crowd applauded and cheered. She Rhode Island state’s attempt to repress thanked everyone and spoke powerfully the free expression of labor. and eloquently about her belief in the power of working people to resist, dub- Police Riot in North Providence bing the efforts of everyone as “the true On August 11, 2007, the Providence spirit of resistance.” branch of the union was marching to- John MacLean, a wobbly organizer, wards Jackie’s Galaxy in North Provi- Marine veteran, and anti-militarist peace dence, a pan-Asian restaurant that was activist who was an eyewitness at last refusing to stop doing business with the year’s rally, addressed the crowd. The union-busting, labor-abusing HWH/ assembled people listened as he spoke Dragonland facility. The members of the about the “long and sordid history of branch intended to hold an information vigilante military and police violence picket and demand the restaurant drop being directed at working people in the HWH/Dragonland as a supplier. US.” He ended his rousing speech by As the march proceeded down Min- asking people to broaden their under- eral Spring Avenue the police arrived, standing of scabbing, beyond crossing a pulling their cruisers abruptly in front of picket line. the march, nearly driving their cars into “When we live in ‘whiteness’ we people. become scabs, we do not love or practice When the protesters did not comply solidarity,” he said. “When we coldly fast enough to the police demand to get hide in ‘legality’ and watch immigrants off the street, the police began to aggres- being taken away, we scab again.” sively push people onto the side walk. The band “Jake and the Infernal They police targeted Alexandra Machine” entertained and inspired with because she looked like a protest leader. their brand of folk-influenced rock, sing- Although Alex was maimed and in shock ing “The Prison Song”, Joe Hill’s “The and pain, the officers continued to use Preacher and the Slave, and “Class War”. pain compliance maneuvers on her as IWWs Mischa Lefebvre and John they placed her under arrest, while she Cronan then talked about the IWW’s lay pinned to the grass, her leg twisted to style of labor organizing. Lefebvre and the side. The officers also pepper sprayed Cronan described the struggles and vic- the crowd and brandished their clubs at tories in the warehouse industry in New Photo: Justin Kelley the remaining protesters. York City with Industrial Union 460 Alexandra Svoboda speaks about recovery and resistance after being in- that motivated the Providence IWW to jured by Rhode Island police during an IWW solidarity march in Providence, Rhode Island for New York City warehouse workers. One year later: “We Never Forget” organize the march last August. Bringing to life the old IWW maxim The final speaker was John Prince demanding that all charges are dropped. “An injury to one is an injury to all” one from the long-standing Providence com- “Solidarity forever” A sample letter to the Attorney Gen- year after the police attack, a vigorous munity group Direct Action for Rights Alexandra, Jason and the Provi- eral, mayor and chief of police of North contingent of folks rallied together, and Equality. John gave a message of dence branch need your continued Providence is available through the listening to speakers, socializing and solidarity with Alexandra and the IWW’s support. The need to put pressure on the Providence branch. Other creative ways dancing to several musical acts. IWW struggle locally and everywhere. state and raise funds is immense. Alex’s of pressuring the state are also welcome. member John Holland from Vermont “I’m there when there is a struggle legal bills alone are anticipated to be The monumental amount of legal fees sang, closing with an original song dedi- against oppression and struggles in my $25-50,000. Fortunately, she has medi- facing Alexandra is perhaps the biggest cated to Alexandra, the passionate tune community,” he said. cal insurance to help with the healthcare issue at hand beyond the demand for “Alexandra: true lady of liberty.” The rally ended with dancing to costs. charges to be dropped. There are assess- Jason Friedmutter and Alexandra Providence marching band What Cheer? Please participate in the letter writ- ment stamps available, and the Provi- Svoboda both spoke at the rally. Fried- Brigade, dressed in red and black. ing campaign to the state authorities, dence GMB has urged all members and supporters of the union to hold fundrais- ing events. Rail Workers United founding convention Contact Providence IWW, PO Box 5795, Providence, RI 02903 united From The Highball, newsletter of the RWU States, [email protected] for A new caucus of North American pay the price for the failures of national information on how to donate or the railroad workers established an or- and corporate leadership, whether it IWW’s General Defense Committee. ganization in April that hopes to spur be the disaster of the Iraq War or the solidarity, unity and democracy within catastrophe of the sub-prime mortgage Misbehavin’: Confronting Management’s and between unions that represent rail meltdown. Nor should workers have to “Blame the Worker’ Safety Programs”, workers across North America. confront skyrocketing living costs with- led by Steelworkers Union staffer Nancy Caucus members at the founding out adequate wage increases to relieve Lessin. The workshop explained how convention of Railroad Workers United increasingly unbearable pressures on the management safety programs redirect came from five different unions in the living standards of ordinary people. the focus away from the real hazards of rail industry, traveling from coasts, as RWU was born in the Fall of 2007, the workplace and attempt to focus at- well as north and south, to attend. All when members of Railroad Operating tention strictly on worker behavior as a came on their own time and their own Crafts United (ROCU)–an organization way of letting the company off the hook. dime. of United Transportation Union and the Lessin described what a real union safety In the morning session, caucus Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers program could and should look like, one members adopted Railroad Workers and Trainmen members who wanted that takes on the real issues, does not United as the official name, a “Statement to see a democratic merger of their two blame individual workers, and one that of Principles” to serve as a moral com- unions—joined with other rail labor builds solidarity and worker empower- pass for the group, and approved, with a The participants passed 12 reso- activists from the non-operating crafts ment, rather than erode the union’s number of amendments, a set of bylaws lutions ranging from safety issues to and laid the groundwork for a new orga- cohesiveness. to govern the organization until the next contracting out work, from questions nization of all rail labor to build unity, The next morning she met with convention, set for Spring 2010. of diversity in the workforce to support solidarity, democracy and rank-and-file RWU members to analyze the specifics In the afternoon, 11 members were for West Coast dockworkers and union action among all crafts and all unions of railroad “safety” programs, including elected to the leadership body, the members protesting the Iraq War. that represent railroad workers in North the Total Safety Culture program that is International Steering Committee. From The growing squeeze on the working America. appearing on some major Class I carri- this body were then elected an Execu- class was on the minds of delegates. This RWU also staffed an information ers. The group discussed how to combat tive Committee composed of three Co- situation prompted a call for an emer- table at the Labor Notes conference “Blame the Worker” safety programs. Chairs, a Secretary and a Treasurer, and gency wage re-opener in all rail union running concurrently. RWU members The next RWU conference is sched- three Trustees. contracts. Workers should not have to took part in a workshop called, “Ain’t uled for Spring 2010 in the Midwest. Page  • Industrial Worker • September 2008 Review Dishwasher Pete wanders, entertains, rebels Pete Jordan, Dishwasher, Harper- anywhere, from small restaurants to big demands. When the workplace becomes Jordan even pays tribute to these “Pearl Perennial, New York, 2007, 386 pages, ones, from ski resorts to off-shore oil intolerable, most people quit and the Divers” who had gone before him and paperback, $13.95. rigs, all in his quest to wash dishes in all job remains a “shit job” for the next leaves makeshift memorials at the sites 50 states. person. The only ones who benefit from of these strikes and also at graves of Review by Scott Satterwhite While most this scenario are the dishwasher union organizers. This affin- In the early Nineties, an occasionally would find this a employers who are ity for other suds busters ultimately led employed dishwasher found a calling strange profession rarely forced to give Dishwasher Pete to join an independent that led him on an atypical mission to to spend a consider- concessions that union where he gives a great account of wash dishes in every state in the United able amount of time are not mandated kitchen worker solidarity in a wildcat States. devoted toward, by law (if even that strike. Pete Jordan’s trek became legend- Jordan explains that is respected) to the In fact, there is a great deal of dish- ary in punk circles as he recorded his in reality washing workers. washer history and trivia in this book. adventures of bouncing from dish tub to dishes is one of the While there are (What’s one thing that Gerald Ford and dish tub in the seminal Nineties fanzine most ideal jobs. The few feelings as nice Ho Chi Minh had in common? They “Dishwasher.” While finding his niche dish area is usually as telling a bad boss were both dishwashers!) in the zine world, the writing of Pete a solitary environ- to shove it, that joy Also filling these pages are great Jordan (aka Dishwasher Pete) stood out ment, free of over- is short-lived, last- personal stories about the “rootless ir- because he could tell a good story. sight. There are few ing as long as the responsibility” touted in the cover blurb While it may be difficult for those employee benefits, last paycheck. After and a few very funny moments, most who have not worked in a kitchen to but food is as plenti- that, it’s back to the notably the infamous story of Dishwash- understand, there is no shortage of ful as the availability grind. If the work- er Pete hoodwinking Late Night with adventures that happen every day in the of work. While gen- ers in this indus- David Letterman by getting a friend to average restaurant. Add to that the ele- erally looked down try realized their impersonate him on the talk show. ment of interesting travel that is far from upon in the typical power to change Dishwasher obviously will appeal aimless and you have the material for kitchen hierarchy, their workplace, to those who have worked the worst what is one of the most appealing, read- the dishwasher’s the benefits gained of these jobs and cleaned dishes in the able, and unique books on modern labor job is arguably one could mean greater grimiest kitchens. Yet, Jordan’s writing to come out in years. of the most integral joy that lasts. What goes further than the obvious and leaves While Dishwasher started out as a parts of any restaurant. Not only is the is better? Telling a boss to stick his job plenty for those who are interested in fanzine, HarperPerennial found Pete task itself crucial for obvious reasons, where the sun doesn’t shine or winning travel, labor history, love, and the love of Jordan’s story intriguing enough to want but more importantly, no one else wants better wages and health care? strange accomplishments. Dishwasher to publish it in book format, which is an to do it. Dishwasher Pete found this That said, there are moments in is a fun read with great (and sometimes odd move for a major publisher and an situation alone gave him a good deal of this book where the workers rise up to inspiring) stories about the day-to-day even more strange testimony toward the power in the workplace. their potential. In a few touching scenes, workplace struggles for the so-called universal appeal of this book. How he used this power is what Dishwasher Pete begins researching the unskilled worker. Now that Jordan has Throughout the book, Jordan tells I would criticize; this same power is lives of other dishwashers. He learns of moved on to greener pastures in another story after story of bouncing around seldom used in a profession where there past dishwasher strikes and people who country, I only hope his next venture will from one kitchen to another, working is so much potential to win workers’ attempted to organize this profession. give us more great stories in the future. Reader’s Soapbox, continued Column Working Family By Arthur J. Miller Often the greatest amount of pres- union liaison for families and friends. It sure on workers involved in organizing should be someone they can talk to for or job actions comes from their families information and about problems. and friends. Most of the time this pres- 3. Hold informational meetings by sure is unseen by the organizers. the union for families and friends. In Over the years I have seen how some other words make sure that they are of the strongest union supporters among informed. At these meetings ask them the workers give up on the union, go what union issues are important to back to work or just find another job them. This will give them input into the because the pressure they get at home situation and it will allow the organizers becomes too much for them. to understand the issues important to This pressure comes about for a the families and friends. Where possible, number of reasons. First, there are the include their issues as union issues. economic reasons during a strike. 4. Find ways that families and Then there are the personal reasons. friends can help. There is a lot of union Most workers live rather simple lives; work that goes on and thus there are they go to work and then spend most of many things they can do. During a strike their free time with their families and they can work on food and supplies. friends. Then the union comes around Even organizing social events is helpful and takes some of that free time away in creating stronger bonds. from families and friends and it becomes 5. A step further can be to organize IWWs remember Utah union time. Often in organizing drives an auxiliary support organization of fam- Continued from  and job actions, the union will become ilies and frends. There are some things tion that workers are mere consumers of “You’re kidding”, said Utah, “You the major focus in workers’ lives. Fami- that the union can’t do that such an the dominant culture. We create culture. mean to tell me the suicide hotline has lies and friends can feel neglected and organization could do because it is not The problem is that history is a top down been outsourced to Afghanistan?” The scornful of the union. This can lead to the union. An auxiliary could be useful in affair and Utah was out to rectify the guy at the other replied, “Yes, now how disharmony at home. organizing support in the communities. situation. If you believe in the rat race can I help you?” Yet, if families and friends become They can take on general support for the then only rats will win. If you think that “Well,” said Utah. “I was having union supporters with the workers being problems that families and friends have humans are hopelessly greedy and war- suicidal thoughts.” organized or in job actions you have a during organizing and job actions. They like, that is a hopeless position that only “Really?” said the guy on the hotline. strong bond that is hard to break. Some can publish a newsletter where they can leads to despair. Despair and hopeless- “Do you know how to drive a truck?” unions like miner’s unions understand express themselves. ness are the gateways to fascism and Good ol’ Utah had us going ‘til the this very well. Organizers must take families and totalitarianisms of all types. If you resign end. I mourn his loss. Just before he Some families and friends with friends into account and make them yourself to the way things are, then you passed away I wrote him a long let- union backgrounds or with very good part of their plan. To think that fami- have made the choice to side with the ter telling him to hang in because I’ve communication will support the union, lies and friends do not matter in union powerful few against the powerless. learned a lot from him and there was so but many may not. So either the organiz- organizing and job actions and thus are Two weeks before he passed away, I much more I needed to learn. He never ers must hope things work out for the no concern for the union, is just naive. was able to perform at a benefit concert saw the letter. I guess I got my work cut best or they can pro-actively deal with But if the union communicates with and in Ann Arbor, Michigan. During the out for me. We all do. this issue. The following are some ideas involves families and friends it helps cre- concert a phone hook-up allowed the how to take action with families and ate a bond that is almost unbreakable. audience to hear Utah’s voice. Len Wallace friends. Working Family is a column He described his illness and com- Windsor, Ontario, Canada 1. In your one-on-one talks with dedicated to issues that affect people mented that at one point of serious workers and at union meetings, talk to who work and raise families in their depression he actually contemplated them about family and friends and make many forms. Contributions to Working suicide so he dialed the suicide hotline Donate to Utah’s own sure that they have an understanding of Family are very welcome. Send your for some counseling. When he got on the Hospitality House, P.O. Box 3223, the problem from the beginning so that submission to [email protected] with phone he asked the hotline counselor: Grass Valley, California 95945, they are not blindsided by the problem. Working Family in the subject line or by “Mind my asking, but where am I call- United States, (530) 271-7144, 2. If your organizing includes a num- post to PO Box 52003, 298 Dalhousie St, ing?” The guy answered, “Afghanistan.” www.hospitalityhouseshelter.org. ber of organizers, let one of them be the Ottawa, ON K1N 1S0 Canada. September 2008 • Industrial Worker • Page  Humor

Building a Thank You Culture By Red Card Third, saying thank you to your I once read an article about how col- fellow worker creates an understand- lective action was good for your health. ing between you and the person you I have engaged in enough collective thanked. Solidarity is based on shared actions on the job, at protests, pick- understanding of the struggles each ets, organizations and coalitions that I individual within our class goes through should live to be 100. But when I read based on being a member of the work- this article I felt worn down, burnt out ing class. If the fellow worker does not and the exact opposite of how I generally receive appreciation for the work they Folk singer Mark Ross entertains a crowd at Union Corner. Photo: Vicki Watson feel. I began to wonder what the heck have done, it is possible they may not this article was talking about. know that you understand the work they For one the article was based on put into the project. Thus, you may have IWWs set up Union Corner the British, so maybe they do things a harder time building solidarity because dramatically differently on that side of of a perceived lack of understanding at National Folk Fest the pond. Then one day, a fellow worker from you. By Amanda Curtis noticed that I was feeling burnt, pissed Local Wobblies forced the Seventieth vided the event insurance, without which off and just about ready to say, ‘Damn it.’ Building a Culture of Screw You annual National Folk Festival to remem- Union Corner could not have happened. All he had to do to make me feel better By Mr. Block ber Butte, Montana’s rich labor history, Union Corner evolved into a com- was say, “Hey Red, thanks for the good First of all, I don’t want to hear any by setting up a Union Corner on private munity project, with contributions from work you’re doing.” of this IWW nonsense. Don’t try to take property in the heart of the folk festival. diverse sources. Labor agitator and I began to think a bit about what my dues money or get me to some meet- IWW member Kevin Curtis, who folk singer Mark Ross attended from happened there. In practical terms, not ing full of whiners or preach any sort of lives in Butte, was surprised to find Oregon and played three local venues, much. All my fellow worker did was hateful doctrine to me. I like my job and that folk festival organizers would not including Union Corner. Many artists thank me for doing something I had I like my boss. You hear me? allow a labor informational booth inside participated in the three-day open-mic been doing for the past year. But what it Still, Red is a friend of mine, despite its boundaries. Curtis approached the session, thanks to equipment donated by said to me was more than that; it showed his dumb ideas, and he asked me to say Butte-Silver Bow Council of commission- Bob Brock of the IBEW and powered by that this fellow worker supported me a few words to you people. You probably ers about the prohibition. In response, electricity donated by the neighboring and figured I was doing something won’t listen but here goes. folk festival organizers twice redrew the Thornton Building. worthwhile. This brings me to the point You don’t need any kind of culture of boundaries in order to prevent the labor The Butte Archives lent several labor of the article. Our organization suffers thank you. Red is just being whiney. He booth. Local resident Mike Bingham history boards to the cause, allow- when we don’t say thank you to our fel- keeps coming to work every day and our rented a site to the IWW to host Union ing Butte’s rich labor history to reach low workers. boss never says “Thank you.” See? You Corner on private property inside the hundreds of festival-goers. Montana First, saying thank you to your fellow don’t need thank you to run a sophisti- folk festival’s boundaries. He donated Folklore Society representative Vickie worker lets them know that you appreci- cated operation. Not that your IWW is the $1 rent received back to the IWW Watson hosted a labor sing-a-long, and ate the work that they do to build the sophisticated; you people are simple- branch. several local unions set up informational One Big Union. I believe this point to be tons. My boss never says thank you. He The Montana IWW, along with displays, including the laborers, team- self-evident and needs little explanation. says “do it!” and “now!” and “what did Taking Actions for Peaceful Solutions sters, and carpenters. Wobblies from After all saying “thank you” is a sign of I just tell you?” Translation? “Screw (TAPS, a local peace organization) and Bozeman, Billings, Butte, Missoula, appreciation that has been cultivated you!” I like my boss, he’s a good friend of the Montana Folklore Society, hosted Hamilton, and Utah attended. Four new over years of civilization. mine. He just knows that to really make Union Corner during the three-day mu- members joined the branch and several Second, saying thank may mean the things happen you have to lay down the sic festival. IWW member Vicki Watson more stopped by to pay dues. difference between your fellow worker law. and the Montana Folklore Society pro- doing a task because they agreed to do it Here is some of the ways that my and because they want to do it. boss keeps things going. He never says Take my job, for instance. When I thank you to individuals. He knows UK IWWs support fired polish postie am at work, it is because I agreed to do it that’s a waste of time. He always asks Members of the Lon- (for a small paycheck) and I do the least for more and more and more time on don and Edinburgh IWW possible that I can get away with (often the job, because he knows that what we branches in the United instead of working, I write articles such do is important. He doesn’t rotate tasks Kingdom picketed the Polish as this one). Our union’s lack of financial because he knows that doing one thing embassy and consul to sup- resources means we don’t have anyone and only one thing is the best way to get port postal workers belong- making a living off of it. Our General good at something. If someone doesn’t ing to Workers’ Initiative Secretary-Treasurer no doubt could find like how things are going, they can leave. (Inicjatiwa Pracownicza) be- himself a better paying job. That’s my boss’s attitude, and it’s the ing victimized for their role So what is there about work, other right attitude. People who leave aren’t as in postal strikes last year. than a paycheck? Well, how about the talented as the ones who stick around. Bartosz Kantorczyk was fired pride and appreciation of your fellow Saying thank you all the time is just for his lead role in a wave of workers? When I am working hard on asking to keep sensitive losers around strikes last year and further union stuff because I want do a righ- instead of people who want to really get efforts to ensure the safety teous job that any fellow worker could the job done. And in the end we all get of posties carrying money be proud of, often simply a gesture of paid and that’s the point, isn’t it? orders on delivery. appreciation from my branch mates is all Maybe if you IWW people would “The protesters handed I need. One is more likely to do a higher start handing out the green stuff instead out bilingual leaflets to Photo: Ant Ince quality job when one knows that others of those red cards you wouldn’t need this passers-by and managed to London IWWs picket the Polish embassy. will appreciate the work. thank you nonsense. collar the top dog present at land), Matthew Hardcastle (Northern the embassy to discuss the issue,” said a England), Rob Blow (Central England), IWW Mason needs support London IWW statement. The IWW also Sandy Hale (South East England), and sent a formal letter to the embassy de- Carlos Guarita (Southern England). By IWW General Defense Committee manding that the government put pres- Marie Mason is a school teacher, Committee for help. In response we Membership Administrator was sure on the postal service to quit their environmental activist, wobbly, and have issued 50 assessments stamps a tight race, with Philip Le Marquand union-busting ways. The reason they are mother of two. On March 10, 2008, for $10 each, available for purchase by winning by one vote over Ruth Hen- not co-operating with the union is that Marie was arrested by the FBI, Home- IWW and GDC members. New GDC derson. Three Website Administrators unlike the main Polish unions, Workers’ land Security, and the local police at members who sign up can have half of were elected, Keir Lawson, Nick Durie, Initiative refuses to cosy up to manage- her home in Cincinnati, Ohio. Marie their dues donated to Marie’s defense. and Philip Le Marquand. Euan Suther- ment and maintains a militant platform. and three others were indicted on To date, we’ve raised $335. land was re-elected as the Supply Depot charges of arson for political purposes To join the GDC or buy an assess- Coordinator. at Michigan State University in 1999 ment stamp, send a cheque or money BIROC election Becca Kirkpatrick was elected as The IWW’s British Isles Regional Or- and the destruction of logging equip- order to “GDC” to GDC, PO Box 23085, the Health Workers Industrial Union ganizing Committee elected its officers ment shortly thereafter. Learn more at Cincinnati, OH 45223 or send us an 610 National Secretary and Ant Ince in June. www.freemarie.org. email [email protected]. was elected as the Education Workers Adam Lincoln was re-elected as Marie’s support group, Got Your A GDC membership includes a Industrial Union 620 Secretary. The secretary with Frank Syratt elected as Back!, is raising funds to help with member card, copy of our bylaws, but- newly-constituted Bread & Roses Edito- BIROC treasurer. Regional organizers Marie’s legal costs. Marie has peti- ton and subscription to The Defiant rial Board now consists of Miv Jones, elected were Dek Keenan (Northern tioned the IWW’s General Defense Spirit newsletter. Darren Poynton, Doug Fielding-Smith, Scotland), Nick Durie (Central Scot- and Dan Read. PageSeptember 10 • Industrial 2008 • Industrial Worker • September Worker •2 Page008 10

IWW T-shirts: Sabo-cat or globe design, printed on black shirt. Sizes S-XL $15.00 The Industrial Workers of the Size XXL $17.00 World: Its First 100 Years by When ordering, please specify design Fred W. Thompson & Jon Bekken forward by Utah Phillips The IWW: Its First 100 Years is the most comprehensive history of the union ever published. Written by two Wobblies who lived through many of the struggles they chronicle, it documents the famous struggles such as the Lawrence and Paterson strikes, the fight for decent conditions in the Pacific Northwest timber fields, the IWW's pioneering organizing among harvest hands in the 1910s and 1920s, and the war-time repression that sent thousands of IWW Utah Phillips: Starlight on the Rails Boxed CD Set members to jail. But it is the only general This four CD set contains 63 stories and 61 songs, spanning over 40 years of Utah's history to give substantive attention to performing career. He says, "The way I see it is this: if you take most of what you sing from people, sooner or later these songs will help you disappear into the people. If you the IWW's successful organizing of have listened to their voices close enough, the people will embrace your songs and make African-American and immigrant dock them their own. But they will not embrace you, because they will no longer know who workers on the Philadelphia waterfront, you are. You will know the people and will be able to vanish into them. Nothing you have the international union of seamen the given to the people will be owned by anybody but owned by everybody. If you want that, IWW built from 1913 through the 1930s, you will turn away from possession. You will turn away from riches and power and fame. smaller job actions through which the For these songs to do their work they must give up your name and be free in every way." IWW transformed working conditions, Four CDs & booklet, $38.95 Wobbly successes organizing in Chumbawamba: English Rebel manufacturing in the 1930s and 1940s, and the union's recent resurgence. Songs 1381-1984 CD Extensive source notes provide guidance English Rebel Songs 1381-1984 is to readers wishing to explore particular Chumbawamba’s homage to the men and women campaigns in more depth. There is no who never had obituaries in the broadsheets; those better history for the reader looking for who never received titles or appeared in as entry in an overview of the history of the IWW, “Who’s Who.” This is an album that conjures up the tragedies and triumphs of the people who shaped and for an understanding of its ideas and England: its citizens. The songs were discovered in tactics. 255 pages, $19.95 The Wobblies DVD songbooks, in folk clubs and on cassette tapes, This documentary from 1979 takes a look chopped and changed and bludgeoned into shape at the IWW's organizing from its early days, with utmost respect for the original tunes. Originally released in 1988, this new CD version Static Cling Decal with a combination of interviews from the people who were there, and archival foot- is fierce, sweet and powerful, and contains ballads not included on the original album. It’s 3.5” black and red IWW guaranteed to sway the listener, break hearts and encourage hope...just as those who logo, suitable for car age. Features songs and appearances by inspired the songs by changing history. 13 tracks, $14.95 windows Utah Phillips. $2.50 each 90 minutes, $26.95 Images of American Radicalism BY PAUL BUHLE AND EDMUND B. SULLIVAN Historians Buhle and Sullivan engagingly document here the his- tory of American radicalism. The more than 1500 illustrations provided – 72 in color – are paintings, drawings, cartoons, photo- Order Form Mail to: IWW Literature, PO Box 42777, Phila, PA 19101 graphs, lithographs, posters, and other graphics depicting reli- gious visionaries, Shakers, abolitionists, suffragists, anarchists, so- Name:______cialists, Wobblies, feminists, Civil Rights workers, gay and les- bian activists, environmentalists, and others in their quest for a Address:______cooperative society overcoming a competitive capitalism. This handsome book is a su- perb visual approach to an important but little discussed aspect of American social, po- City/State/Zip Code:______litical, and cultural history. $20 paperback, $25 hardcover QUANTITY ITEM PRICE

A Century of Writing on the IWW 1905 - 2005: An Annotated Bibliography of Books on the Industrial Workers of the World Compiled by Steve Kellerman This annotated bibliography published by the Boston IWW lists all known books on the IWW, organized by category in Embroidered chronological order. Brief critical notes describe the books, Patches quickly and helpfully identifying their strengths and weaknesses. 3” circle with IWW logo *Shipping/Handling Other categories are Biographical Works, Miscellaneous Works In the U.S., please add $2.00 for first Sub-Total:______and “An injury to item and 50¢ for each additional item one is an injury to all” including substantial discussion of the IWW, Writings by Canada: Add $3.00 for the first item Shipping*:______embroidered in Wobblies, and a listing of novels featuring the union. An excel- 50¢ for each additional item lent resource for anyone doing research on the IWW. Overseas: Add $4.00 for the first item black, red, white and $1.00 for each additional item Total Enclosed:______golden $3.50 each 38 pages, $5.00 September 2008 • Industrial Worker • Page 11 Opinion Nationalization controls Venezuelan workers Venezuela’s President Hugo Chávez those who strike as counter-revolution- is accelerating his program of national- ary. Workers in the newly-nationalized izing companies to the applause of his companies must come to grips with the supporters domestically and internation- idea that they are now public servants. ally. Public servants in countries across the His latest target is the Spanish- world have always struggled for the owned Bank of Venezuela. This year right to strike and negotiate with the alone, he has announced the nation- most powerful of bosses, governments. alization of steel (Argentina) and Governments have the power to re-write cement companies (Mexico, France, the rules of negotiation by changing the Switzerland). While some companies law, making certain workers exempt or are agreeing to cede majority control to making union membership illegal or Chavez, others such as Mexico’s Cemex, subject to conditions—and backing it are asking for more than Chávez is will- with the military. What this new status ing to pay and he has turned toward for long-time private employees may state seizure or expropriation. In 2007, well mean in today’s polarized Venezuela he nationalized the country’s largest is that their ability to exercise job control telephone and electricity companies as as well as their right to strike are limited, well as bought majority control over four if not curtailed completely by presiden- large oil projects. tial decree. Concentrating the economic power President Chávez did exactly that of the country in the President’s hands during the two-month 2002-2003 oil echoes Chávez’s strategy to merge all workers’ strike by deploying soldiers as friendly political parties into the United strikebreakers and branding the strikers Photo: ¡quecomunismo! Socialist Party of Venezuela, also found- as traitors. One of the key complaints Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is concentrating economic as well as po- ed last year. Some are applauding this of these vital and powerful workers was litical control through an ambitious nationalization program. latest direction of Chávez’s Bolivarian the appointment of incompetent people Revolution, which they see as a bulwark to key positions in the state oil company programs and building housing projects functional. In such a situation, ideology against the imperialism of the United by Chávez’s new pet president. This to meet people’s desperate needs—and trumps facts and loyalists attempt to States. The rationale for concentrating political interference into the running of secure their loyalty and dependency. bend the reality of a situation to the vi- so much power in the President’s hands a company vital to the national economy Alarmingly, Venezuela’s production in sion of the leader. is simple: Venezuela needs a strong prompted the workers to join with the this sector has decreased since the strike, The risk of the Venezuelan nation- leader to fight imperialism and resist opposition demands for a recall referen- which puts into doubt Venezuela’s eco- alizations is that the workers become domestic subversion. In turn, Chávez has dum on Chávez as president. Appointing nomic sustainability and further puts the subjugated to the whims of the State and said he is nationalizing these companies people who are loyal to the President but poor that support Chávez at risk. lose their independent voice and ability to put their production at the service of don’t understand the oil industry puts The idea that nationalization or to exert control over their work through the Venezuelan people and to advance the whole enterprise at risk. national control of the economy is the job actions and the right to strike. Work- his social programs to build homes and Chávez supporters labeled this strike panacea for workers is dangerous. If the ers’ rights are fundamental, universal provide cheap fuel and electricity for the a “bosses’ lock-out”, but there is little Soviet Union taught workers one thing, rights and should not be subject to poor. It is a program that is hard to ar- doubt a substantial number of workers it should have been that state-controlled whether the worker is on the right or gue against, since Venezuela’s poor need did strike. Chávez, who had sacked the economies can be tyrannical and dys- wrong side of a political ideology. all the help they can get. Venezuelan state oil company’s CEO in However, the concentration of eco- February 2002 to put it fully under his nomic and political power in the hands thumb, fired at least 12,000 oil work- Georgia of the President is worrisome. Venezu- ers out of a workforce of 40,000 during elan working people should keep their and after the strike. Trade union leader, No to a new Caucasian War! eyes open and their hands ready for the Carlos Ortega, fled to Costa Rica. When struggle that awaits them. As with every he returned under an assumed identity The Federation of Education, Sci- of their Russian rival in the Caucasus takeover, the number one question is: in 2005, he was arrested, tried and con- ence and Technical Workers affiliated as much as possible to provide them- what does the new boss plan to do? For victed of citing civil unrest with a 15 year to the Russian Confederation of Revo- selves with control over fuel resources the workers, having Venezuela’s presi- sentence. He has since escaped custody. lutionary Anarcho-Syndicalists (KRAS- and their transport. Thus, we become dent replace their CEO may be less than The crushing of this strike sent a IWA) released the following statement witnesses and victims of the next coil of beneficial. message to the rest of the Venezuelan on the military situation in South Os- the struggle for power, oil and gas. This Chávez’s aspiration is plainly to working class: be an ally of Chávez or setia and Georgia. fight does not bring anything to working succeed Fidel Castro as the revolution- face overwhelming repression. Striking “The eruption of military actions people—Georgians, Ossets, Abkhasians ary socialist leader of the Americas. His can be punished politically. between Georgia and South Ossetia or Russians—except blood and tears, rhetoric and actions have polarized Ven- The seizure of the arm’s-length threatens to develop into a large-scale incalculable disasters and deprivation. ezuela into the unfortunately familiar ‘us state oil company was a critical battle war between Georgia supported by “We express our deep sympathy to and them’, ‘patriots and traitors’ model for Chávez; its revenues have allowed NATO on the one hand, and the Russian the friends and relatives of the victims, of social control. In such an environ- him to engage in petro-dollar diplomacy state on the other. to the people who have been left with- ment, workers with legitimate com- throughout the region, promise cheap “Thousands of people are already out a roof over their head and means of plaints can be seen as the opposition and fuel to allies, and pour money into social killed and wounded, principally peaceful subsistence as a result of this war. inhabitants; whole cities and settlements “We shouldn’t fall under the influ- have been wiped out. Society has beed ence of nationalist demagogy which flooded with nationalist and chauvinistic demands unity with ‘our’ government, International Solidarity Commission hysteria. flying the flag of ‘protecting the home- Continued from 12 “As always and everywhere in con- land.’ flicts between the states, there is not and “The main enemy of simple people gin addressing the needs of the people. hours on July 4. When a Doro-Chiba cannot be a righteous cause in this new is not the poor brothers and sisters on One of the highlights of the delegation board member, Mr. Kawasai, pointed Caucasian war-there are only the guilty. the other side of the border or of other was the Hello Union gathering, which out a critical error in the search warrant The coals which have been fanned for nationality. Their enemies are the rulers featured an international film festival the police brutally grabbed him, tore his years now have caused a military fire. and bosses of all kinds, presidents and focusing on temp workers/day labor. ISC shirt, and put him in confinement in his “The Saakashvili regime in Georgia ministers, businessmen and generals, delegate Diane Krauthamer screened her underwear. keeps two-thirds of the population in those who generate wars for the sake of film about the IWW Starbucks Workers The ISC insisted that this raid and poverty. The greater the internal discon- multiplying power and riches. We call on Union and talked about the Starbucks the inhumane treatment of Kawasai is tent in the country, the more it desires the working people in Russia, Ossetias, struggle, as well as the differences in part of a concerted effort to suppress to find a way out from the deadlock in Abkhazia and Georgia to reject the bait labor laws between the United States peaceful protest against the G-8 Summit the form of a ‘small victorious war’ in the of nationalism and patriotism and to and Japan. The delegates also had an op- (see July-August Industrial Worker). hope that it can write everything off. turn the anger on rulers and the rich on portunity to meet with union organizers The ISC declared its solidarity with the “The government of Russia is full of both sides of the border. from other countries, including a mem- Doro-Chiba Railway Workers and all determination to maintain hegemony in “Russian, Georgian, Ossetic and Ab- ber of the CNT-France. All in all, the like-minded organizations exercising the Caucasus. Today they pretend to be khazian soldiers! Do not obey the orders delegation was highly successful. Read their basic human right to free speech by the defender of the weak, but their hy- of your commanders! Turn your weapon the full story with photos and videos on protesting the G8 Summit and its anti- pocrisy is abundantly clear. Saakashvili against those who sent you to war! Do iwwinjapan.blogspot.com worker agenda. only repeated what the Putinist soldiery not shoot the soldiers of your “oppo- The ISC demanded that the Tokyo did in Chechnya nine years ago. Ruling nent”-fraternize with them: a bayonet in Condemning Police Raid on Metropolitan Police and all government circles of both Ossetias and Abkhazia the ground! Working people in the rear! Railway Workers’ Union in Tokyo bodies in Japan immediately cease this aspire to strengthen their role as exclu- Sabotage military efforts, leave to go to The ISC published a statement campaign of repression and respect the sive allies of Russia in the region, and at meetings and demonstrations against condemning a July 4th raid on the Doro- right to peaceful protest. The ISC further the same time to rally the impoverished the war, organize yourselves and strike Chiba Railway Workers Union by the To- called on the police department to issue population around the time-tested torch against it! kyo Metropolitan Police. About 100 met- a public apology and compensate the vic- of the “national idea” to “rescue the “No to the war and to its organizers ropolitan police raided the headquarters tims of this raid and other similar police people.” Leaders of the United States, - rulers and richmen! Yes to solidarity of of the Doro-Chiba Railway Workers actions that have taken place before and the European states and NATO, on the working people across borders and the Union in Tokyo from approximately 3.5 during the G8 Summit. contrary, wish to weaken the influence front lines!” Page 12 • Industrial Worker • September 2008 Anti-mining union leader murdered in Guatemala By www.nisgua.org The Network in Solidarity with were planning mobilizations through- the People of Guatemala reported that out the country, particularly in western Antonio Morales, a former Municipal Guatemala, to voice their resistance to The IWW formed the International Solidarity Commission to help the union build council member of Colotenango and a mega-projects such as hard metal min- the worker-to-worker solidarity that can lead to effective action against the bosses Maya Mam community leader in Hue- ing and hydroelectric dams, and defend of the world. To contact the ISC, email [email protected]. huetenango in western Guatemala, was their right to autonomy and self-deter- assassinated in the morning of August mination. By Mike Pesa, Saku Pinta and Daniella Jofre 7. He was shot four times in front of his “The imposition of transnational house on the Inter-American highway, mega-projects—such as chemical open- Protesting Death Sentence for Mediterranean Union. In a report to the near the Chanjon bridge. pit or underground metal mining, hydro- Iranian Teacher ISC, Ashbrook noted both the festive On June 23, the municipality of Co- electric dams, and the related problems The ISC sent a letter to the President atmosphere of the demonstrations and lotenango had become one of 26 munici- of access to, use of and ownership of of Iran and several international hu- the many challenges associated with palities to reject mining on their terri- land—only brings us destruction, repres- man rights monitoring groups, strongly supporting union work in Africa. Ash- tory through a community referendum. sion, and death. We see that ‘develop- protesting the recent decision of Iran’s brook also reported on the work of the Morales had actively opposed mining by ment’ policies only benefit shameless Supreme Court, which upholds the death Spanish CGT amongst migrant workers: GoldCorp’s Montana in the area. speculating businesspeople, who are not sentence passed against Farzad Ka- “the slump in the construction industry In previous days, Morales had told obliged to pay taxes proportional to the mangar, a teacher, journalist and trade [is] hitting the migrant workers espe- people of threats made against him by wealth they obtain from these projects unionist in Kamyaran. cially hard… under the ‘socialist’ govern- armed groups that operated in the re- or proportional to their foreign capital. On February 25, Kamangar was ment the period of notice to be given to gion. Intimidation and constant threats This occurs with the approval of every arrested and charged with Moharebeh a worker before s/he can be dismissed against human rights activists for their government administration,” said the (“enmity against God”) and with mem- has been cut from 45 to 33 days, with a human rights defense work is common Peoples Council of San Marcos, a Guate- bership in the Kurdish Workers’ Party further cut to 12 proposed.” in Guatemala. malan coalition. (PKK). In the letter, the ISC stated its The assassination occurred one day The Center for Human Rights Legal belief that these charges do not deserve ISC Delegates Visit Mexico before the International Day of Indig- Action called for an investigation and a death sentence. Furthermore, the ISC Following ISC delegate Paul Bock- enous Peoples, August 8. On this day prosecution of the “material and intellec- pointed out that the Revolutionary Court ing’s successful trip to Mexico earlier rural communities and organizations tual authors” of Morales’ murder. of Iran did not even present any solid this summer (see the July-August In- evidence to prove that Kamangar was a dustrial Worker), a follow-up delegation member of the PKK, an affiliation he has was launched in late July. Fellow Work- vehemently denied. International ob- ers Janky Hellface and Oliver Lanti of Indian police deployed to servers have insisted that Mr. Kamangar the San Francisco Bay Area GMB spent did not receive a fair trial and that the two weeks in Mexico City and Oaxaca, actions of the court have not upheld even meeting with many of the same contacts seize land for export zone the most basic international standards as well as some new ones. The ISC hopes By Gurgaon Workers News of justice. The entire closed-door hear- to implement some of the exciting ideas In July, the state of Haryana, south those in power, even be it by making ing lasted less than five minutes. The and opportunities that have arisen from of New Delhi, ordered 1,500 riot police use of the very same industrial structure ISC stated its belief that Kamangar was these meetings. to secure the construction area for a wall which puts them into misery. convicted because of his Kurdish ethnic- surrounding the free trade Special Eco- This time it was the attempt by the ity and his legitimate involvement in the Sweatfree Communities nomic Zone (SEZ). Local villagers, most state to prevent the unruly road-blocks, labor movement, grassroots activism, Conference and Rally of them landed peasants, are demanding which actually created the stand-still. and investigative journalism. ISC representative Mike Pesa attend- higher compensation for their expropri- “It was mayhem on the Delhi-Gur- The ISC also expressed outrage that ed the 2008 international conference of ated land. gaon expressway. Traffic came to a Farzad Kamangar was severely tortured Sweatfree Communities in Philadelphia A quarrel about a legal curb over standstill for at least three hours dur- during his interrogation by Iranian the weekend of July 12. The conference how large a SEZ can be and the mount- ing the morning rush, and the tailback authorities. The ISC demanded that all coincided with the National Associa- ing real estate crisis had delayed the stretched from the 32-lane toll plaza to individuals involved in torturing Ka- tion of Governor’s annual meeting and start of the construction work, but it Mahipalpur. And it was all because the mangar be held responsible for their focused on pressuring state governments seems set to start again. After months of Gurgaon Police first put up barricades actions and that the Iranian govern- to implement effective anti-sweatshop silence, the move by Reliance Industries to stop Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) ment compensate him for his suffering. policies and join the Sweatfree Consor- to start construction work for a bound- supporters from entering Gurgaon and The ISC insisted that Kamangar’s death tium, which supports products made ary wall in and around Harsaru village later blocked all the cash and tag lanes sentence must be overturned, calling on under fair labor conditions. Former in Gurgaon for India’s largest special at the toll plaza. Earlier, HJC supporters the Government of Iran to immediately factory workers from Bangladesh, economic zone (SEZ) once again resulted and their leader Kuldeep Singh Bishnoi release him, clear him of all charges, and Saipan, and Latin America testified in tension in the locality. Over 1,500 declared their intention to turn up at issue a full public apology. about the horrific working conditions in policemen, along with two deputy com- Gurgaon in full force to register their the apparel export zones. Speakers also missioners of police and Sub-Divisional protest against the construction activi- Solidarity with Jakub G. and ZSP described their organizing efforts and Magistrate JS Sanghwan were present ties at what will be Indias largest SEZ. The ISC continues to stand in soli- the alternatives they are working for. during the deployment. Of the 1,700 Expecting unrest, the Gurgaon Police darity with Jakub G. of the Union of Syn- Workshops and strategy sessions took acres in Garhi Hasru around 12 km from moved a large contingent to the 32-lane dicalists of Poland (ZSP) and condemns place throughout the weekend. The high Gurgaon along the Pataudi road, the SEZ toll plaza. Meanwhile, all those who took the union-busting policies of the Lion- point of the conference was a rally for company Reliance Industries was able to the expressway to work were delayed by bridge corporation. workers’ rights across the street from gain control of 1,000 acres. up to three hours. Jakub, a union representative, the Kimmel Center, where the governors Haryana Kisan Majdoor Sangharsh was summarily dismissed on February were meeting. IWW members attending Samiti (The Haryana Peasant and Work- Oz solidarity shutdown 12, 2007 by his employer, Lionbridge included Kenneth Miller of Pittsburgh, ers Struggle Committee), the organisa- Poland, shortly after the announcement former ISC rep John Kalwaic of Phila- tion opposing the state government More than 100 Union Solidarity that a union had been formed in the delphia, Wes of southern Oregon, and move to hand over 1,395 acres of agri- community activists shut down the CSR workplace. The official reason given for David Temple and Benjamin Ferguson of cultural land to Reliance Industries for construction site in Yarraville, Australia, the dismissal by the company was that New York City. To see photos and video the joint-venture SEZ, said that people on July 25 after learning the company Jakub had “damaged the company’s from the conference and rally, visit www. from different villages would turn out at had hired a work speed-up specialist, image” by publishing an article on the phillyimc.org and www.youtube.com/ Harsaru and oppose the move. John Kint. internet. There is no evidence to sup- profile_videos?user=wolfman1027. “We will not let them take possession At his previous post, Kint had report- port this allegation nor does it take into of the land here until our concerns are edly fired 150 workers and introduced a account that someone else wrote the ISC Delegation Protests G-8, addressed. Farmers have been feeling six day work week, backed by the threat article. Jakub is fighting for his rein- Meets with Unions in Japan cheated by the government,” said the of 10 firings per week, at a site in Port statement in the courts and is being The ISC sent a delegation of work- Samiti chief Mahavir Gulia to the Times Campbell. CSR workers reported that supported by militant unionists around ers to Japan in late June and July at of India. Klint had warned them that he would the world. A global week of solidarity the invitation of the Tokyo-based All Once more the new multi-lane Na- dock them four hours pay for every time actions took place in early July, with Freeter’s Union (see July-August Indus- tional Highway 8, India’s most modern they talked to a union organizer. IWW branches in the UK participating. trial Worker). In addition to meeting highway, has become a pivotal point of ”Union activities are not criminal as The Boston IWW is planning an action with the Freeters and other independent struggle. In Gurgaon, whenever there current industrial law paints them,” said at Lionbridge’s international corporate unions, the delegates also participated is a group in struggle—be it workers a Union Solidarity statement, “but are headquarters in Waltham, Massachu- in the protests and conferences being on strike or conservative caste-based simply designed to insure that workers setts before the next court date in mid- organized against the G-8 international communities—they tend to block the have the same rights as employer organi- August. summit in Hokkaido. In spite of intense highway. Last summer, when there was a sations in the pursuit of their interests.” police repression, the demonstrations lack of drinking water mainly due to the Building workers have few rights ISC Attends Euro-Mediterranean were large and festive, with strong par- deep wells of the industry, Gurgaon vil- under the Building Construction Indus- Counter-Summit ticipation from the labor movement. The lagers blocked the highway—the symbol try Improvement Act, which has greatly Michael Ashbrook of the Luxemburg message was clear: The G8 nations need of India’s path towards an automobile weakened their ability to organize and IWW represented the ISC at the recent to end their neoliberal economic policies industrial society, a polluting, resource- advocate on the job without being vic- Mediterranean Counter-Summit held and imperialistic war-mongering and be- consuming society. As proletarians they timized. Union Solidarity is an organiza- in Paris on July 5-6; an event held in have to take advantage of any means tion that trumps laws restricting union opposition to the proposed, neoliberal Continued on 12 available in order to put pressure on activity by mobilizing citizens.