Militant union history event in Derry

An event will be staged in Derry this weekend looking at the history of the militant trade union movement and aiming to form a local branch.
The Industrial Workers of the World are hoping to form a branch in Derry.The Industrial Workers of the World are hoping to form a branch in Derry.
The Industrial Workers of the World are hoping to form a branch in Derry.

Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) in Ireland will host the presentation at Sandino’s on Saturday at 4pm, as part of a country-wide tour taking place under the banner, ‘Industrial Workers of the World Then and Now.’

Speaking ahead of the event , which will finish with music by Joe Hill among others, a spokesperson for the organisers said: “IWW have a legacy of workplace militancy stretching back since its inception in 1905.

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“Over the past decade the IWW has seen a resurgence in its politics of grassroots workplace activism not witnessed for a generation within trade unionism, marking a new era in workplace agitation.

“From the outset, the IWW was committed to organising amongst the most marginalised of the working class, pioneering organising across ethnic and national divisions. Their aim is that all workers should be organised in One Big Union, embedding class solidarity into industrial relations.

“The IWW aims for a world where workers organise themselves to take direct action in order to address oppressive circumstances.”

The spokesperson added: “A resurgent IWW in England, Wales and Scotland has successfully mobilised groups of workers in precarious jobs, zero-hour contracts and gained advantage through direct action. It is now hoped that activists across Ireland, both North and South, will create local branches which will enable workers to directly influence the challenges current facing them as worker and welfare rights are continually being under attack.”