Who we are:

  • The IWW is a democratic union led by its membership. That means we, the workers, make all decisions and have the final say.
  • The IWW is organized industrially, rather than by trades, and follows a solidarity unionism model.
  • The IWW is versatile and uses a wide range of tactics to achieve our goals. We don't just rely on contracts and NLRB elections; we also use direct action and solidarity to defend individual union members who are not in an NLRB-recognized union shop.
  • The IWW is open to all workers who do not have the power to hire and fire, regardless of employment status.
  • Wobblies live by the motto “an injury to one is an injury to all.”

What we are not:

  • The IWW is not linked to any political party or group.
  • The IWW is not led by high-salary union bosses who cut secret deals with employers behind your back.
  • The IWW is not stifled by union bureaucracy or top-down leadership.

Our decision-making model:

  • We are directly democratic, meaning all members have a say in branch decisions.
  • At our meetings, we follow a procedure called "Rusty's Rules." You can read about it in depth here. You don't have to know it to participate, but it will help you understand what's going on at meetings.




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