Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
O f f i c i a l n e w s p a p e r oF T h e I n d u s t r i a l Wo r k e r s o f t h e Wo r l d
J a n u a r y/ F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 1 # 1 7 3 2 V o l . 1 0 8 N o . 1 $ 1 / £ 1 / € 1
Starbucks Baristas Win Equal Holiday Pay After Three Year IWW Fight
made public the company’s a labor union. grew some of Starbucks’ most expensive
second-class treatment of Dr. “We’re deeply moved to have been able beans but received just 2.2 percent of the
King’s birthday and called on in our modest way to increase respect for retail price.
the coffee giant to pay the same Dr. King’s legacy while ensuring that Star- “This is a great step forward and a
premium that it pays workers on bucks employees who work on his holiday moving victory yet we’re mindful that
six other federal holidays. After are fairly compensated,” said Anja Witek, there is much work to be done to make
Starbucks refused to change its a Starbucks barista and SWU member in Starbucks a living wage employer that of-
policy, union workers and their Minnesota. “This is a great example of fers reliable work hours and respects the
supporters launched a deter- what baristas and all low-wage workers right of workers to join the union,” said
mined campaign of grassroots can achieve by getting organized and tak- Daniel Gross, a former Starbucks barista
actions in Starbucks stores and ing direct action in support of workplace and SWU member in New York City.
communities all across the coun- justice issues.” “We’re thrilled to continue building the
try in support of equal treatment While Starbucks claims to “embrace SWU and demonstrating just how com-
for MLK Day. diversity,” it doggedly resisted the SWU’s pelling a model solidarity unionism is for
Starbucks union members call for equal treatment of MLK Day for fast food workers and all working people.”
Photo: Tom Good, Next Left Notes say this is an especially emotion- three years. The company based its refusal Commonly misunderstood by the
Baristas march on MLK Day, 2008 in New York. al victory, given that the SWU on the claim that its holiday policy was in news media and denounced by corporate
By the Starbucks Workers Union has long-cited the Reverend Dr. line with the (abysmally low) standards executives frightened by its effectiveness,
Starbucks baristas across the United Martin Luther King, Jr. as a major inspi- of the food service sector. The SWU made solidarity unionism is a simple and pow-
States for the first time this year will be- ration. Dr. King, who was assassinated the case that Starbucks’ commitment to erful method of organizing outside of the
gin receiving a time-and-a-half holiday in Memphis while supporting the effort diversity was illusory, citing the dispro- government certification bureaucracy. In
premium for working on Martin Luther of striking sanitation workers to form portionate number of workers of color in a solidarity union, workers simply self-
King, Jr. Day. The move comes after a a union, was a staunch and outspoken the lowest-paid positions in the company organize and come to an agreement on
spirited three-year initiative of the IWW defender of workers’ rights, including the and its intense exploitation of coffee farm- workplace justice issues to pursue like
Starbucks Workers Union (SWU) which right to a living wage and the right to join ers including the Ethiopian workers who Continued on 7
Industrial Worker
PO Box 180195
Periodicals Postage
PAID
Winnipeg Postal Workers Strike
By Howard Ryan, Labor Notes their delivery routes.
Chicago, IL 60618, USA Chicago, IL A spontaneous one-day walkout of The new machines sort 80 percent of
and additional 70 Canadian postal workers over injuries the mail, explains Bob Tyre, president of
mailing offices
ISSN 0019-8870 triggered by a mechanization scheme has the Winnipeg local of the Canadian Union
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED inspired a rising tide of solidarity across of Postal Workers (CUPW), while the re-
the country and internationally. It serves mainder must be sorted by the old hand
as a reminder of the enormous power of a method because items are off size or the
simple bold act. address is illegible. Two types of sorting is
The walkout on Nov. 22 in the city of not a problem as long as letter carriers are
Winnipeg grew out of a dispute simmering allowed to merge both stacks into a single
for months. Canada Post launched a pilot bundle before leaving the mail facility to
restructuring project there in April—the do their route.
first test site for a $2 billion moderniza- But management insists that the car-
tion initiative. The scheme is supposed to riers move out into the field right away,
achieve productivity gains and cost savings forcing them to manage two or more
once in place across Canada. bundles of mail.
But management never consulted with “You’re walking with different shapes
postal workers before rolling out the new and sizes balanced in your arm, with an-
system. And it’s been causing injuries and other in your hand,” Tyre says. “It obscures
stress for the Winnipeg letter carriers, who your feet. You can’t see where you’re
are working late into the night to finish Continued on 7
Page 2 • Industrial Worker • January/February 2011
Industrial Worker
The Voice of Revolutionary
IWW directory
Industrial Unionism Australia Ottawa Panhandlers Union: Andrew Nellis, Georgia New York City GMB: P.O. Box 7430, JAF Station,
Regional Organising Committee: P.O. Box 1866, spokesperson, 613-748-0460. ottawapanhandler- Atlanta: M. Bell, del.,404-693-4728, iwwbell@ 10116, iww-nyc@iww.org. www.wobblycity.org
Albany, WA sunion@sympatico.ca gmail.com Starbucks Campaign: 44-61 11th St. Fl. 3, Long
Organization Albany: 0423473807, entropy4@gmail.com Peterborough: c/o PCAP, 393 Water St. #17, K9H Hawaii Island City 11101 starbucksunion@yahoo.com
Education Melbourne: P.O. Box 145, Moreland, VIC 3058. 3L7, 705-749-9694 Honolulu: Tony Donnes, del., donnes@hawaii.edu www.starbucksunion.org
Emancipation 0448 712 420 Toronto GMB: c/o Libra Knowledge & Information Upstate NY GMB: P.O. Box 235, Albany 12201-
Svcs Co-op, P.O. Box 353 Stn. A, M5W 1C2. 416- Idaho
Perth: Mike Ballard, swillsqueal@yahoo.com.au Boise: Ritchie Eppink, del., P.O. Box 453, 83701. 0235, 518-833-6853 or 518-861-5627. www.
919-7392. iwwtoronto@gmail.com 208-371-9752, eppink@gmail.com upstate-nyiww.org, secretary@upstate-ny-iww.
British Isles Québec
Official newspaper of the Illinois org, Rochelle Semel, del., P.O. Box 172, Fly Creek
British Isles Regional Organising Committee (BI- Montreal GMB: cp 60124, Montréal, QC, H2J 4E1. 13337, 607-293-6489, rochelle71@peoplepc.com.
Industrial Workers ROC): PO Box 7593 Glasgow, G42 2EX. Secretariat: 514-268-3394. iww_quebec@riseup.net. Chicago GMB: 2117 W. Irving Park Rd., 60618.
rocsec@iww.org.uk, Organising Department Chair: 773-857-1090. Gregory Ehrendreich, del., 312- Hudson Valley GMB: P.O. Box 48, Huguenot 12746,
of the World south@iww.org.uk. www.iww.org.uk 479-8825, labrat@iww.org 845-342-3405, hviww@aol.com, http://hviww.
Europe
Post Office Box 180195 IWW UK Web Site administrators and Tech Depart- Central Ill GMB: 903 S. Elm, Champaign, IL, 61820. blogspot.com/
ment Coordinators: admin@iww.org.uk, www. Finland 217-356-8247. David Johnson, del., unionyes@ Ohio
Chicago, IL 60618 USA tech.iww.org.uk Helsinki: Reko Ravela, Otto Brandtintie 11 B 25, ameritech.net
00650. iwwsuomi@helsinkinet.fi Ohio Valley GMB: P.O. Box 42233, Cincinnati
773.857.1090 • ghq@iww.org NBS Job Branch National Blood Service: iww.nbs@ Freight Truckers Hotline: mtw530@iww.org 45242.
gmail.com German Language Area Waukegan: P.O Box 274, 60079.
www.iww.org Mission Print Job Branch: tomjoad3@hotmail. IWW German Language Area Regional Organizing Textile & Clothing Workers IU 410: P.O. Box 317741
co.uk Committee (GLAMROC): Post Fach 19 02 03, 60089 Indiana Cincinnati 45231. ktacmota@aol.com
Building Construction Workers IU 330: construc- Frankfurt/M, Germany iww-germany@gmx.net. Lafayette GMB: P.O. Box 3793, West Lafayette, Oklahoma
General Secretary-Treasurer: tionbranch@iww.org.uk www.wobblies.de 47906, 765-242-1722 Tulsa: P.O. Box 213 Medicine Park 73557, 580-529-
Joe Tessone Health Workers IU 610: healthworkers@iww.org. Austria: iwwaustria@gmail.com. www.iw- Iowa 3360.
uk, www.iww-healthworkers.org.uk waustria.wordpress.com Eastern Iowa GMB: 114 1/2 E. College Street, Iowa Oregon
General Executive Board: Education Workers IU 620: education@iww.org.uk, Frankfurt am Main: iww-frankfurt@gmx.net City, 52240. easterniowa@iww.org
Lane GMB: Ed Gunderson, del., 541-953-3741.
Koala Largess, Ildiko Sipos, www.geocities.com/iwweducation Koeln GMB: IWW, c/o BCC, Pfaelzer Str. 2-4, 50677 Maine gunderson@centurytel.net, www.eugeneiww.org
Recreational Workers (Musicians) IU 630: peltonc@ Koeln, Germany. cschilha@aol.com
Ryan G., John Slavin, Jason Krpan Barry Rodrigue, 75 Russell Street, Bath, 04530. Portland GMB: 2249 E Burnside St., 97214,
gmail.com, longadan@gmail.com Munich: iww.muenchen@gmx.de 207-442-7779 503-231-5488. portland.iww@gmail.com, pdx.
John Reimann, Greg Giorgio General, Legal, Public Interest & Financial Office Switzerland: IWW-Zurich@gmx.ch Maryland iww.org
Workers IU 650: rocsec@iww.org.uk Netherlands: iww.ned@gmail.com Baltimore IWW: P.O. Box 33350, 21218. balti-
Editor & Graphic Designer : Portland Red and Black Cafe: 400 SE 12th Ave,
Bradford: bradford@iww.org.uk moreiww@gmail.com 97214. 503-231-3899. redandblackbooking@
Diane Krauthamer Bristol GMB: P.O. Box 4, 82 Colston street, BS1 South Africa Massachusetts
Cape Town: 7a Rosebridge, Linray Road, Rosebank, riseup.net. www. redandblackcafe.com.
iw@iww.org 5BB. Tel. 07506592180. bristol@iww.org.uk, Boston Area GMB: PO Box 391724, Cambridge
bristoliww@riseup.net Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa 7700. Pennsylvania
iww-ct@live.co.za 02139. 617-469-5162
Cambridge GMB: IWWCambridge, 12 Mill Road, Lancaster GMB: P.O. Box 796, 17608.
Final Edit Committee : Cape Cod/SE Massachusetts: thematch@riseup.net
Cambridge CB1 2AD cambridge@iww.org.uk United States Paper Crane Press IU 450 Job Shop: 610-358-
Maria Rodriguez Gil, Tom Levy, Western Mass. Public Service IU 650 Branch: IWW, 9496. papercranepress@verizon.net, www.
Dorset: dorset@iww.org.uk Arizona P.O. Box 1581, Northampton 01061
Nick Jusino, FW D. Keenan, J.R. Hull: hull@iww.org.uk Phoenix GMB: P.O. Box 7126, 85011-7126. 623- papercranepress.com
Boyd, Mathieu Dube, Neil Parthun, Leeds: leedsiww@hotmail.co.uk, leeds@iww. 336-1062. phoenix@iww.org Michigan Pittsburgh GMB : P.O. Box 831, Monroeville,
org.uk Detroit GMB: 22514 Brittany Avenue, E. Detroit 15146. pittsburghiww@yahoo.com
Michael Capobianco Flagstaff: Courtney Hinman, del., 928-600-7556, 48021. detroit@iww.org. Tony Khaled, del., 21328
Leicester GMB: Unit 107, 40 Halford St., Leicester chuy@iww.org Redmond Ave., East Detroit 48021 Rhode Island
LE1 1TQ, England. Tel. 07981 433 637, leics@iww. Arkansas Grand Rapids GMB: PO Box 6629, 49516. 616-881- Providence GMB: P.O. Box 5795, 02903. 508-367-
Printer: org.uk www.leicestershire-iww.org.uk Fayetteville: P.O. Box 283, 72702. 479-200-1859. 5263. Shannon Williams, del., 616-881-5263 6434. providenceiww@gmail.com.
Globe Direct/Boston Globe Media London GMB: c/o Freedom Bookshop, Angel Alley, nwar_iww@hotmail.com
84b Whitechapel High Street, E1 7QX. +44 (0) 20 Central Michigan: 5007 W. Columbia Rd., Mason Texas
Millbury, MA DC 48854. 517-676-9446, happyhippie66@hotmail.
3393 1295, londoniww@gmail.com www.iww. Dallas & Fort Worth: 1618 6th Ave, Fort Worth,
org/en/branches/UK/London DC GMB (Washington): 741 Morton St NW, Wash- com 76104.
Next deadline is ington DC, 20010. 571-276-1935 Minnesota
Nottingham: notts@iww.org.uk South Texas IWW: rgviww@gmail.com
February 4, 2010. Reading GMB: reading@iww.org.uk California Duluth IWW: Brad Barrows, del., 1 N. 28th Ave E.,
55812. scratchbrad@riseup.net. Utah
Sheffield: sheffield@iww.org.uk Los Angeles GMB: P.O. Box 811064, 90081.
(310)205-2667. la_gmb@iww.org Red River IWW: POB 103, Moorhead, 56561. 218- Salt Lake City: Tony Roehrig, del., 801-485-1969.
U.S. IW mailing address: Tyne and Wear GMB (Newcastle +): tyneand- 287-0053. iww@gomoorhead.com tr_wobbly@yahoo .com
wear@iww.org.uk www.iww.org/en/branches/ North Coast GMB: P.O. Box 844, Eureka 95502-
IW, P.O. Box 7430, JAF Sta- 0844. 707-725-8090, angstink@gmail.com Twin Cities GMB: 79 13th Ave NE Suite 103A, Min- Vermont
UK/Tyne neapolis 55413. twincities@iww.org.
tion, New York, NY 10116 West Midlands GMB: The Warehouse, 54-57 Allison San Francisco Bay Area GMB: (Curbside and Buy- Burlington GMB: P.O. Box 8005, 05402. 802-540-
Street, Digbeth, Birmingham B5 5TH westmids@ back IU 670 Recycling Shops; Stonemountain Missouri 2541
ISSN 0019-8870 iww.org.uk www.wmiww.org Fabrics Job Shop and IU 410 Garment and Textile Kansas City GMB: c/o 5506 Holmes St., 64110. Washington
Periodicals postage Worker’s Industrial Organizing Committee; Shattuck 816-523-3995 Bellingham: P.O. Box 1793, 98227. 360-920-6240.
York GMB: york@iww.org.uk www.wowyork.org Cinemas; Embarcadero Cinemas) P.O. Box 11412,
paid Chicago, IL. Scotland Berkeley, 94712. 510-845-0540. bayarea@iww.org Montana BellinghamIWW@gmail.com.
Clydeside GMB: c/o IWW, P.O. Box 7593, Glasgow, Two Rivers GMB: PO Box 9366, Missoula 59807. Tacoma GMB: P.O. Box 2052, 98401.TacIWW@
IU 520 Marine Transport Workers: Steve Ongerth, 406-459-7585. tworiversgmb@iww.org
Postmaster: Send address G42 2EX. clydeside@iww.org.uk, www.iw- del., intextile@iww.org iww.org
wscotland.org Construction Workers IU 330: Dennis Georg, del., Olympia GMB: P.O. Box 2775, 98507. Sam Green,
changes to IW, Post Office Box IU 540 Couriers Organizing Committee: 415- 406-490-3869, tramp233@hotmail.com
Dumfries and Galloway GMB: dumfries@iww.org. 789-MESS, messengersunion@yahoo.com. del., samthegreen@gmail.com
180195 Chicago, IL 60618 USA uk , iwwdumfries.wordpress.com Billings: Jim Del Duca, del., 406-860-0331,
messengersunion.org delducja@gmail.com Seattle GMB: 1122 E. Pike #1142, 98122-3934.
Edinburgh GMB: c/o 17 W. Montgomery Place, EH7 Evergreen Printing: 2335 Valley Street, Oakland, 206-339-4179. seattleiww@gmail.com. www.
SUBSCRIPTIONS 5HA. 0131-557-6242, edinburgh@iww.org.uk 94612. 510-835-0254. dkaroly@igc.org Nevada seattleiww.org
Individual Subscriptions: $18 San Jose: sjiww@yahoo.com Reno GMB: P.O. Box 40132, 89504. Paul Lenart, Wisconsin
International Subscriptions: $20 Canada Colorado del., 775-513-7523, hekmatista@yahoo.com Madison GMB: P.O. Box 2442, 53703-2442. www.
Library Subs: $24/year Alberta Denver GMB: 2727 W. 27th Ave., 80211. Lowell IU 520 Railroad Workers: Ron Kaminkow, del., P.O. madisoniww.info
Edmonton GMB: P.O. Box 75175, T6E 6K1. edmon- Box 2131, Reno, 89505. 608-358-5771. ronka-
Union dues includes subscription. tongmb@iww.org, edmonton.iww.ca May, del., 303-433-1852. breadandroses@msn. Lakeside Press IU 450 Job Shop: 1334 Williamson,
com minkow@yahoo.com 53703. 608-255-1800. Jerry Chernow, del., jerry@
Published monthly with the excep- British Columbia Four Corners (AZ, CO, NM, UT): 970-903-8721, New Jersey lakesidepress.org. www.lakesidepress.org
Vancouver GMB: 204-2274 York Ave., Vancouver, 4corners@iww.org Central New Jersey GMB: P.O. Box 10021, New
tion of February and August. BC, V6K 1C6. Phone/fax 604-732-9613. gmb-van@ Brunswick, 08906. 732-801-7001. iwwcnj@gmail. Madison Infoshop Job Shop:1019 Williamson St.
iww.ca, vancouver.iww.ca, vancouverwob. Florida #B, 53703. 608-262-9036
com. Bob Ratynski, del., 908-285-5426
Articles not so designated do blogspot.com Gainesville GMB: c/o Civic Media Center, 433 S. Just Coffee Job Shop IU 460: 1129 E. Wilson,
Main St., 32601. Jason Fults, del., 352-318-0060, New Mexico
not reflect the IWW’s Manitoba Albuquerque GMB: 202 Harvard Dr. SE, 87106. Madison, 53703. 608-204-9011, justcoffee.coop
Winnipeg GMB: IWW, c/o WORC, P.O. Box 1, R3C gainesvilleiww@riseup.net
official position. 505-227-0206, abq@iww.org. GDC Local 4: P.O. Box 811, 53701. 608-262-9036.
2G1. winnipegiww@hotmail.com. Garth Hardy, Pensacola GMB: P.O. Box 2662, Pensacola 32513-
del., garthhardy@gmail.com 2662. 840-437-1323, iwwpensacola@yahoo.com, New York Railroad Workers IU 520: 608-358-5771. railfal-
Ontario www.angelfire.com/fl5/iww Binghamton Education Workers Union (IU 620): con@yahoo.com
Press Date: December 20, 2010. Ottawa-Outaouais GMB & GDC Local 6: 1106 Wel- Hobe Sound: P. Shultz, 8274 SE Pine Circle, 33455- P.O. Box 685, 13905. binghamtoniww@gmail.com. Milwaukee GMB: P.O. Box 070632, 53207. 414-
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January/February 2011 • Industrial Worker • Page 3
T
The working class and the employing he IWW is a union for all workers, a union dedicated to organizing on the bloods out there.” Some laughed at that
class have nothing in common. There can job, in our industries and in our communities both to win better conditions comment, some nodded. Another chimed
be no peace so long as hunger and want today and to build a world without bosses, a world in which production and in, “And while it’s at it, how ‘bout taking
are found among millions of working distribution are organized by workers ourselves to meet the needs of the entire popu- out all the cops? Who in the hell needs
people and the few, who make up the em- lation, not merely a handful of exploiters. ‘em anyway?” All the millwrights and I
ploying class, have all the good things of laughed at that one. Then there was si-
We are the Industrial Workers of the World because we organize industrially –
life. Between these two classes a struggle
that is to say, we organize all workers on the job into one union, rather than dividing lence, a fleeting silence. A third millwright
must go on until the workers of the world
workers by trade, so that we can pool our strength to fight the bosses together. remarked, “I suppose that swine flu could
organize as a class, take possession of the
Since the IWW was founded in 1905, we have recognized the need to build a truly go after every god-damned politician too.
means of production, abolish the wage
system, and live in harmony with the international union movement in order to confront the global power of the bosses Hell, even the ones I voted for.” Everyone
earth. and in order to strengthen workers’ ability to stand in solidarity with our fellow agreed on that one. I finally spoke up as
We find that the centering of the man- workers no matter what part of the globe they happen to live on. I started to clean up, “No rich folks, no
agement of industries into fewer and fewer We are a union open to all workers, whether or not the IWW happens to have cops, no politicians. How are we going
hands makes the trade unions unable to representation rights in your workplace. We organize the worker, not the job, recog- to run things without all them?” That got
cope with the ever-growing power of the nizing that unionism is not about government certification or employer recognition everyone talking. They all had ideas. They
employing class. The trade unions foster but about workers coming together to address our common concerns. Sometimes all had dreams. Without knowing much
a state of affairs which allows one set of this means striking or signing a contract. Sometimes it means refusing to work with about the IWW’s revolutionary vision for
workers to be pitted against another set an unsafe machine or following the bosses’ orders so literally that nothing gets done. society, they discussed a world without
of workers in the same industry, thereby Sometimes it means agitating around particular issues or grievances in a specific bosses, without the rich, without author-
helping defeat one another in wage wars. workplace, or across an industry. ity, a world where the workers ran things
Moreover, the trade unions aid the employ- Because the IWW is a democratic, member-run union, decisions about what issues on their own terms for the greater benefit
ing class to mislead the workers into the to address and what tactics to pursue are made by the workers directly involved. of all people and the environment that
belief that the working class have interests cradles them. A world where no timber
in common with their employers. TO JOIN: Mail this form with a check or money order for initiation boss could profit off the collective sacrifice
These conditions can be changed and and your first month’s dues to: IWW, Post Office Box 180195, Chicago, IL of both humans and trees.
the interest of the working class upheld 60618, USA.
Subscribe to the
only by an organization formed in such
Initiation is the same as one month’s dues. Our dues are calculated
a way that all its members in any one in-
according to your income. If your monthly income is under $2000, dues
Industrial Worker
dustry, or all industries if necessary, cease
are $9 a month. If your monthly income is between $2000 and $3500,
work whenever a strike or lockout is on in
any department thereof, thus making an dues are $18 a month. If your monthly income is over $3500 a month, dues
injury to one an injury to all. are $27 a month. Dues may vary outside of North America and in Regional Raise eyebrows! Get ideas!
Instead of the conservative motto, “A Organizing Committees (Australia, British Isles, German Language Area).
fair day’s wage for a fair day’s work,” we 10 issues for:
__I affirm that I am a worker, and that I am not an employer.
must inscribe on our banner the revolu- • US $18 for individuals.
tionary watchword, “Abolition of the wage __I agree to abide by the IWW constitution. • US $20 for internationals.
system.” __I will study its principles and acquaint myself with its purposes. • US $24 for institutions.
It is the historic mission of the work- Name:_________________________________ Name: ________________________
ing class to do away with capitalism. The
army of production must be organized,
Address:_ ______________________________ Address:______________________
not only for the everyday struggle with City, State, Post Code, Country:________________ State/Province:_______________
capitalists, but also to carry on production Occupation:_ ____________________________
when capitalism shall have been over- Zip/PC________________________
thrown. By organizing industrially we are Phone:_____________ Email:________________ Send to: PO Box 180195,
forming the structure of the new society Amount Enclosed:__________ Chicago IL 60618 USA
within the shell of the old. Membership includes a subscription to the Industrial Worker. Subscribe Today!
Page 4 • Industrial Worker • January/February 2011
A Class Action
By Michael Edwards If that was the case, why bother with
In the last “Workers Power” column, traffic direction at all? Not managing
“The Pamphlet As Passport,” which drivers would have created additional
appeared in the December 2010 IW, I havoc that added to our existing disrup-
discussed an information picket that tion, thereby adding to the basis of our
blocked access to a university in Spain class power.
and some resulting thoughts on the nature Unconsciously, my comrades and I
of class power, namely the threat of and wanted to prove that we were capable of
willingness to disrupt production. Class managing and maintaining some sense
consciousness cannot simply be “Oh, my of order at the picket because how we act
buddy and I at work have the same griev- now reflects on how we will act when we
ances.” We must acknowledge our collec- become dominant. If the population at
tive power and promote our willingness large only ever sees us causing a mess then
to use it. Exercising that power involves they will inevitably turn to the forces of
being disruptive, sometimes to a degree reaction to defend them from demonized
that we find uncomfortable. However, revolutionaries.
workers cannot win demands and improve I’m not saying a more cautious attitude
their position without being prepared to should stay the cudgel of the working class.
significantly upset the status quo. We should still come down like a pile of
As a revolutionary or- bricks on our target and
ganization, the IWW has when the dust has cleared
a vision beyond just a I am happy with leaving
society where the produc- the mess for the “haves”
ers are simply in a better to clean up. But managing
bargaining position. We the unintended conse-
want to switch the bal- quences of actions should
ance of power between classes entirely to be part of any strategy which has a goal
ultimately abolish the wage system. Here of fundamentally altering the balance of
I think a second event from the action is power. In the case of our action, we could
instructive. have let the drivers eventually cause a
Eventually the cars trying to get traffic accident. Without our intervention
through the information picket started it was not a question of if, but of when.
getting backed up. Being the foreigner who If our objective is to solely cause
couldn’t speak the language, a good role enough havoc to force bosses and bureau-
for me was to direct traffic. So I directed crats to cede to our demands, then sure, let
traffic effectively for a while. When one of the cars crash and burn. But the second-
the organizers came to check up on me I ary function of revolutionary unions has
queried whether we were trying to disrupt always been to prepare its membership to
traffic or distribute propaganda. I asked assume the duties of a functional society.
because while we were doing an excellent I’m not sure we are doing that in the IWW.
job disrupting traffic I wasn’t sure about We must be more capable at brinkman-
the effectiveness of our propaganda. I ship while simultaneously being able to
didn’t think that people really cared about manage the potential fallout of it. Within
what we had to say when they had to wait revolutionary unions we understand the
10 to 20 minutes to get anywhere. The need and execution of brinkmanship bet-
organizer told me that our objective was ter than mainstream unions, but I’m not
to disrupt traffic and we were doing a good convinced we’re preparing ourselves or our
job of it! fellow workers for control.
Bike Shop Workers Unionize In Toronto Boston Hosts Successful Starbucks Union Event
By the Toronto IWW By Steve Kellerman
Recently, something On Tuesday, Nov. l6, the Boston
unique happened for bike IWW General Membership Branch
stores and unions in Toronto. sponsored a talk as part of our
Thanks to the hard work of ongoing Starbucks Workers Union
the Toronto Wobblies, the (SWU) campaign. Anja Witek of the
city’s first unionized bike Twin Cities IWW/SWU addressed
shop was organized. Work- a crowd of about 25 regarding the
ers signed a collective agree- worldwide effort to organize the
ment with the Community workers at the coffee retail giant.
Bicycle Network (CBN), the She described the course of the
creator of an innovative yel- campaign so far in New York City,
low bike Bikeshare program, Chicago, Omaha, Ft. Worth, and of Panel discussion at Photo: Steve Kellerman
and a leader in the supply of course, in her own Minneapolis/St. Harvard University.
inexpensive bikes and bike Paul area. The tactics of solidarity unionism were discussed at length as were
services. With their contract the means of approaching workers new to unionism.
signed, CBN workers then set The talk was followed by a lively question and answer session and socializing
about organizing other bike over drinks and snacks.
store workers in the city as Anja participated in a panel discussion of the IWW/SWU campaign sponsored
the Bike Mechanics Union. by the Harvard University Student/Labor Action Movement the following eve-
Located at the west end of ning. The other panelists were University of Massachusetts economics professor
the downtown at 761 Queen Graphic: bikelanediary.blogspot.com Arthur McEwan and Communications Workers of America (CWA) organizer
St. West (416-504-2918), the Community Bicycle network is a must visit for bike Steve Early. The discussion of the campaign’s significance for retail workers in
rentals and self-help bike repairs when you visit Toronto. Spread the word. Send general was enlightening for many in the audience and a number of Harvard
questions or comments to iu440solidarity@gmail.com. students expressed an interest in supporting the drive.
Page 6 • Industrial Worker • January/February 2011
Special
Special
Pay After Three Year IWW Fight decided to go home as well. been greatest in rural areas. CUPW has
Canadian media covered the wildcat responded by asking local municipal coun-
Continued from 1 and growing, the SWU has consistently action, and word spread quickly among cils in rural areas to sign on to a “People’s
fair raises, affordable health care, and chalked up victories at Starbucks includ- CUPW members and especially through Postal Declaration,” which demands
respectful treatment from management. ing across-the-board raises, more secure a blog called “The Workers Struggle with that postal modernization be handled in
The workers’ group then creates a strategic work hours, and respectful treatment from the Modern Post.” A week later, the blog a socially responsible way that doesn’t
plan and leads workplace actions, commu- previously abusive managers whose con- had received 50,000 hits and had become sacrifice quality services or quality jobs.
nity solidarity, and grassroots advocacy to duct improved due to union pressure cam- a worker-to-worker communication tool The declaration has been signed by 359
win the desired job improvements. paigns. The SWU has repeatedly prevailed for CUPW members, with individuals municipalities.
The Industrial Workers of the World against Starbucks in the legal arena across and locals sending messages of solidarity The ante will be upped this winter. In-
union effort at Starbucks is the first time multiple cities including in a lengthy New or launching support actions and then juries under the multiple-bundle delivery
a labor organization in the United States York City trial over pervasive illegal union- posting photos on the blog. Support also system will rise as snow begins to fall. The
has succeeded in building a base of orga- busting, the first time the company had to came from abroad, including from the in- CUPW is lining up another day of action at
nized baristas at the company. With over square off against baristas in open court ternational union federation, UNI Global the end of January, which will focus on the
300 worker-organizers across the country regarding unfair labor practices. Union. contract that is set to expire then.
Page 8 • Industrial Worker • January/February 2011
Reviews
Schlöndorff Film Tells Story Of Red Army FactionUnited States and the Red Army Faction in ers as they cleaned out the capitalist bank oft-repeated, propagandized moral goals
Japan. These were young people, many of vault and cash drawers, with weapons and callously toss human lives on the sc-
whom were college students, who felt both drawn. rapheap for political gain. As a result, she
guilty about and sympathetic toward the Adrenaline and surprise hit one in grows closer to the only person who ever
Third World nationalist revolutions; revo- this film from start to finish. From jail measured up to her romantic expectations:
lutions they believed were the vanguard of breaks to motorcycle chases, to life behind an East German woman named Tatjana.
a world revolution which would eventually the Iron Curtain, the film comes at you Volker Schlöndorff has directed a mas-
sweep the “fascist imperialist” states away. again and again with images you’ve been ter portrait of a political situation, a time
Che Guevara captured what Schlön- brainwashed to feel uncomfortable with. and a place which is quickly disappearing
dorff is attempting to portray in his film You’ll also feel the kind of careless cour- down the memory hole. Not only are the
concerning the mental spirit of these Ger- age these young people of the RAF had, West German RAF, with their Ton Stein
man students—revolutionary romantics as they consciously faced death, even as Scherben albums and sneering hatred
when he reflected on his own audacity and they reached out for a better life—actually, for bourgeois complacency, critically and
political commitment: a better life for others, mostly. As many, sympathetically examined, but the “actu-
“At the risk of seeming ridiculous, many of the New Left, Rita and her fellow ally existing socialism” of East Germany
let me say that the true revolutionary RAF members are motivated to take vio- during that era is laid bare as well. East
is guided by a great feeling of love. It is lent political action in order to assuage a Germany is portrayed realistically, down
impossible to think of a genuine revolu- deeply felt guilt about being born in First to the last idiosyncrasy, from the near-
tionary lacking this quality...We must World privilege. They are more moralists empty roads, to the Radeberger Pilsner,
strive every day so that this love of living than materialists—romantic poets ready to to the workers’ apartments in large, multi-
humanity will be transformed into actual use murder as a political weapon. In the storied college dorm-like buildings in ur-
Graphic: new-video.de deeds, into acts that serve as examples, as midst of all this direct, violent action, some ban East Berlin. This portrait will disturb
Director: Volker Schlöndorff. “Die Stille a moving force.” of them change, become harder hearted, long-held mainstream Time magazine
nach dem Schuß.” (English title: “The Action and audacity were the RAF’s mechanically calculating. Rita’s boyfriend inspired conceptions of East Germany,
Legend of Rita”). Produced by ARTE, Ba- strong suit. “The Legend of Rita” (origi- is one of them, and when this happens, some would say, “with extreme prejudice.”
belsberg Film, Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk nally called “Die Stille nach dem Schuß” in love dies. Rita is a lover first and a revolu- Rest assured though; the film’s honesty
(MDR), and Mitteldeutsches Filmkontor German) is set in the divided Germany of tionary second. In her heart of hearts, she extends across both sides of the East/West
(MDF), 2000. 103 minutes. the 1970s. Rita is a young fearless roman- wants to settle down, have kids, a husband, border. Far from revolutionary or socialist,
tic in love with a left-wing revolutionary, the whole modern suburban dream, albeit most of the citizens of East Germany are
By Mike Ballard one Andreas “Andi” Klein—a guy who is in a more egalitarian, “anti-imperialist” portrayed as being quite conservative, en-
The Red Army Faction (RAF) was a more or less the leader of an RAF group society. Rita wants mutual love more than dorsing whichever police are in charge of
self-described communist and anti- impe- which she is a part of. Their RAF group is anything else, and as she learns more the political State. The point is hammered
rialist urban guerrilla organization based armed, ruthless and robs banks to fund about the duplicitous mendacity of the home at the end of the movie, when the
in the Federal Republic of Germany (West “the revolution.” coldly calculating political apparatus in fall of the Wall in 1989 is portrayed; a time
Germany). The RAF had a theoretically These revolutionaries naively ex- both the East and West, she comes to the when Rita and her audience are supposed
superficial Marxist-Leninist set of politics plained their robberies in terms of “anti- realization that political States are always to come to the realization of just what the
similar to those of the Weatherman in the imperialist” politics: out loud, to custom- ready to opportunistically sacrifice their “Stille nach dem Schuß” entails.
January/February 2011 • Industrial Worker • Page 9
Wobbly History
Commemorating The Bread And Roses Strike
By Steve Kellerman, X325068 and its supporters carried on a large and He was a great
On Dec. 8 a program on Joe Ettor vigorous defense campaign and called a orator and fluent
and Arturo Giovannitti was put on at the region-wide one-day general strike in New in six languages.
Lawrence (Mass.) Heritage State Park, England textiles. Ettor and Giovannitti Arturo Giovan-
presented jointly by the Park and the Law- were acquitted of the charges. nitti was a poet
rence History Center. The Park is located The program featured a talk by local who wrote in Ital-
in the old Lawrence mill district in which historian Dexter Arnold in which he de- ian and English,
the IWW organized 25,000 textile workers scribed the course of the strike including edited Il Prole-
in the titanic “Bread and Roses” strike of the enormous obstacles faced by the mill tario, the Italian-
1912. The strike, which lasted nearly three workers and the subsequent Ettor and language IWW
months in bitter winter weather, ended Giovannitti defense campaign. newspaper, and
with an almost complete victory by the This was followed by the screening of was the general
workers and was instrumental in bringing the rare slides assembled by Rev. Roland secretary of the
improved pay and conditions throughout Sawyer, a left-wing socialist who was ac- Italian-Socialist
American industry. tive in the defense effort and who used Federation. To-
In the course of the strike, Ettor and them to illustrate his talks. The original gether they cre-
Giovannitti, the initial organizers who set slides, glass positives, have been held at ated the strike
up the strike committee and the structures the University of New Hampshire and until committee, which Painting from the Lawrence History Center. Photo: Diane Krauthamer
which led to the victory, were arrested on recently were unknown to historians of the enabled the strik- them to persevere and prevail. They well
trumped-up charges of being accessories strike. The scenes they depict are dramatic ers to control the strike and overcome the deserve to have their story known and
to murder when the police killed a striker, and the quality of the pictures is excellent. divisions of nationality and language in honored back in Lawrence.
Annie LoPizzo. They were held in jail from Joe Ettor was a prominent figure in the the largely immigrant workforce. They The Lawrence History Center is orga-
late January until mid-November, facing early IWW who organized workers in dif- also set up the strike relief apparatus that nizing a program for the centennial of the
the electric chair if convicted. The IWW ferent industries across the United States. sustained the 25,000 strikers and allowed strike which will occur next year, 2012.
Assessment Stamp
for Friends of the
Palestinian Workers Group
Benefit stamp designed by
underground cartoonist
Spain Rodriquez.
Send $5 and a SASE to sparrow at IWW San
Francisco, 2022 Blake Street, Berkeley, CA 94704. Graphic: J. Pierce