The IWW is distinct from most unions — we don’t collect dues through the employer, and we rely on “shop committees” of workers taking direct action in the workplace instead of contracts serviced by a […]
Health and Safety in a Solidarity Union
Martha Pierce describes how a solidarity union handled a couple of urgent health and safety issues. Staff at this workplace are organized under the IWW. The summer of 2018 wasn’t a smooth season for the […]
A March on the Boss, Won But Lost
This story, from a small restaurant with majority IWW presence, describes some strategic mistakes that were made around a march on the boss. To me, the story has a particular significance: it is an example […]
When and Why Did Unions Start Signing Contracts?
Robin J. Cartwright explores the historical origins of “workplace contractualism” in the U.S. — the predominant model of unionism, whereby workers and employers negotiate a contract. He notes that employers themselves pushed for the contract […]
Do Solidarity Unions Need to “Go Public”?
MK Lees and Marianne Garneau reexamine whether it is necessary for solidarity unions to declare themselves a union to the boss. This piece originally appeared at Libcom.org. Introduction In an election-driven workplace-organizing campaign, going public […]
Lessons from a Graduate Student Employees’ Union
Eric Dirnbach describes a successful contract fight at the University of Michigan in the 1990s. In the late 1990s, I was a member of the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO), the union of 1,500 graduate student instructors […]
Organizing Versus Activism
JS Richard describes the difference between activism and organizing, arguing that activism is politically ineffective and should be abandoned for an organizing approach. This is further afield than our usual workplace organizing pieces, but is […]
Labor Struggles at The New School: Strike, Wildcat, Occupation
Arvind Dilawar, an independent journalist, reports on three different labor struggles at the New School in New York City during the month of May 2018, each using a different combination of direct action and formal […]
The IWW Campaign at Whole Foods
Mike Hellman recounts the solidarity union campaign at Whole Foods in the Bay Area, which lasted from 2010-2014. Interview by Marianne Garneau. Tell me how and when you got involved. I was involved from 2010 […]