1904-83: A Time-line of the Industrial Workers of the World

1904

* Meeting of six industrial unionists in Chicago issues call for a January conference to discuss formation of a revolutionary working class organization.

1905

* January 2: Conference of 23 industrial unionists in Chicago issues an Industrial Union Manifesto calling for an industrial Union Congress to be held in Chicago June 27.
* IWW Founding Convention—June 27: The “Continental Congress of the Working Class” establishes the industrial Workers of the World with cooperation of elements from Socialist Labor Party/Socialist Trades & Labor Alliance, Socialist Party of America, Western Federation of Miners and survivors of International Working People’s Association.

1906

* Haywood, Pettibone and Moyers, WFM leaders, framed for attempting to kill the governor of Colorado.
* Second Convention of IWW abolishes office of president and ousts “pure and simple” tradeunionists.
* Lockout of IWW members in Goldfield, Nevada. Vincent St. John arrested for conspiracy to commit murder in death of a restaurant owner.
* WFM-IWW miners strike against wage cut in Goldfield. Federal troops sent in to crush strike; first stay-in strike (3,000 workers) of the 20th Century carried out by IWW at General Electric plant in Schenectady, NY.

1907

* Founding of National Industrial Union of Textile Workers, 1st chartered IWW industrial union.
* Strike at Marston Textile Mill, Skowhegan, Maine;
* 3,000 IWW sawmill workers strike in Portland, OR;
* IWW smeltermen strike in Tacoma, WA win 8-hour day and 15% pay hike;
* Lumber workers strike in Humboldt County, CA, Missoula, MT and Vancouver, B.C.;
* Bakers in San Francisco strike;
* Lumber workers strike in Montana;
* Textile strike at Mapleville, RI;
* American Tube strike in Bridgeport, CT

1908

* Textile workers strike, Lawrence, MA
* Fourth convention results in split between political actionists, led by Daniel DeLeon of the SLP, and direct actionists, led by Vincent St. John and J.H. Walsh. DeLeonists set up rival IWW in Detroit and accuse Chicago IWW with “anarchism.”

1909

* Industrial Worker begin publishing in Spokane, WA as the voice of the Western branches of IWW.
* Pressed Steel Car Company workers strike in McKees Rock, PA.
* Sheet and tinplate workers strike in New Castle, PA.
* Solidarity begins publishing in New Castle, PA as organ of Eastern branches of IWW.
* Missoula, MT free speech fight.

1910

* Strike against Standard Steel Car Company in Hammond, IN.
* Strike against Hansel & Elcock Construction in Chicago.
* First reference to “direct action” in IWW publications.
* Strike against Lamm & Company, Chicago clothiers.
* First use of terms “sabotage” and “passive resistance” in IWW publications.
* Meat packers strike in Pittsburgh, PA; Show workers strike in Brooklyn, NY.
* Organizing against “job sharks” in Washington State leads to victorious Free Speech Fight in Spokane, WA.
* Brotherhood of Timber Workers, racially integrated union, formed in Louisiana and East Texas.

1911

* IWW Free Speech Fight in Fresno, CA.
* Brooklyn shoe workers strike several shops.
* Strike at American Locomotive.

1912

* Wobblies join Magonistas in insurrection in Baja California, briefly proclaim the Baja Commune. U.S. troops invade Mexico for crush the rebellion; IWW-led General Strike in Tampico, Mexico for release of political prisoners crushed by army.
* William Z. Foster leaves IWW and forms Syndicalist League of North America to “bore from within” AFL.
* Socialist Party forbids those who oppose political action or advocate sabotage to belong to the party.
* Bill Haywood recalled from NEC. Many IWWs leave SPA.
* Bread and Roses Strike—25,000 textile workers strike in Lawrence, MA, call for IWW leadership. IWW leaders Joseph Ettor and Arturo Giovanitti arrested for the murder of striker Anna Lo Pizza.
* Formation of Forest and Lumber Workers Industrial Union.
* IWW textile strike in Lowell, MA (18,000 workers).
* Strike at National Malleable Casting in Indianapolis, IN.
* Lumber workers strike throughout Gray’s Harbor region (Hoquiam, Raymond, Cosmopolis and Aberdeen, WA).
* Strike of railroad construction crews against Great Northern and Grand Trunk lines. IWW establishes “1,000 mile picket line.”
* First use of the term “Wobbly” in IWW publications.
* Strike of organ and piano builders in New York.
* Two-week strike against American Radiator in Buffalo (5,000 workers).
* Unsuccessful national lumber workers strike.
* Strikes at Warner Refining in Edgewater, NY and Corn Products Refining in Shadyside, NJ;
* Strike at Avery Implements in Peoria, IL.
* Brotherhood of Timber Workers affiliates with Forest and Lumber Workers Industrial Union, IWW; strikes Galloway Lumber Company in Grabow, LA. Three strikers killed and 58 arrested for defending themselves, acquitted in December.
* Textile strike in New Bedford, MA (11,000) Dockworkers strike in San Pedro, CA.
* Tobacco worker strikes in Pittsburgh and McKees Rock, PA.
* Ettor and Gionvanitti trial ends in acquittal.

1913

* Strike instigated by IWW dual-carders in AFL Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union against the Astor and other premier hotels in New York City.
* Patterson Silk Strike—Silkworkers strike in Paterson, NJ (25,000 workers);
* 150 tire builders strike Firestone Tire in Akron, OH;
* BTW in 7-month strike against American Lumber Company (1,200 workers)
* Textile strike in Ipswitch, NY
* Marine Transport Workers Industrial Union formed by Philadelphia, PA, longshoremen as a result of spontaneous strike.
* Strike against Studebaker, car manufacturer (6,000 workers); short strikes against Metal Wheel in Detroit and Foyer Brothers in Toledo.
* Strike against Dry Slitz Stogie leads to lockout of 1200 workers in Pittsburgh, PA, 800 IWW cigar workers strike in retaliation.
* Dock workers strike for safety equipment in Duluth, MN set up branch of MTW;
* Wheatland Riots—Hop pickers strike against Durst Ranch in Wheatland, CA. Gun battle results in indictment and conviction of IWW organizers Ford and Suhr who are sentenced to 15 years in prison.
* Textile strike in Baltimore, MD undermined by AFL scabs. BTW strike in Sweet Home, LA.

1914

* World War I begins in Europe.
* 3,000 unemployed demonstrate in Detroit; IWW gains control of Unemployed Convention in San Francisco. New York unemployed, led by Wobbly Frank Tannenbaum, occupy churches; Union Square unemployed riot.
* Sioux City, Iowa, free speech fight.
* IWW Unemployed League organized in Detroit.

1915

* Detroit IWW, aka Workers International Industrial Union, dissolves.
* AWO Established—Agricultural Workers Organization 400 (later renamed Agricultural Workers Industrial Union 110) founded in Kansas City, MO, introduces the job delegate system into IWW.
* Joe Hill Executed—Joe Hill, IWW organizer, executed by copper bosses in Utah.

* BTW dissolves. Victim of 5,000 blacklisted members.
* National Industrial Union of Textile Workers dissolves, its remaining locals affiliate directly to IWW.
* Philadelphia MTW wins recognition at non-union docks without a contract.
* Shoe workers strike 28 shops in Philadelphia; Strike of 700 against Solvay Processing Plant in Detroit, MI;
* Strike of 3,000 against Kelsey Wheel in Detroit, MI;
* Housemaids organized in Denver, CO;
* Iron miners strike on the Mesabi Range in Minnesota (6,000 workers);
* Miners strike, Cayuna Range, MI;
* Dock workers strike in Two Harbors and Duluth, MN;
* Shingle-weavers strike in Everett, WA; Miners strike in Scranton, PA
* Vernillion Iron Range out on strike.
* Everett Massacre—IWWs murdered by hired guns in Everett, WA. Seventy-five held for murder of deputy, acquitted.
* IWW Convention adopts anti-war resolution.

1917

* Oil Workers Industrial Union and Metal Mine Workers Industrial Union chartered.
* Longshoremen strike in Philadelphia, PA.
* Lumber Workers Industrial Union established.
* River drivers strike in Fontana River, MT, and win 8-hour day.
* Idaho and Minnesota pass Criminal Syndicalism Laws to counter IWW organizing.
* General Construction Workers Industrial Union formed; construction strike in Exeter, CA. Construction strike in Seattle wins IWW hiring hall; Construction strike in Rockford, IL;
* Speculator mine disaster in Butte, MT leads to strike;
* Copper strikes in Arizona in support of Butte;
* Lumber workers strike in Spokane district, WA;
* Miners strike in Virginia, MN.
* Bisbee Deportation—1200 copper strikers deported from Bisbee, AZ.
* Miners strike Gogebic Range.
* Frank Little Murdered—Frank Little, IWW organizer, lynched by copper bosses.
* Australian IWWs tried for treason for opposing conscription, IWW outlawed.
* Federal agents raid IWW halls and offices nation wide, arrest 165 IWW members.
* LWIU 120 Wins 8-Hour Day—Lumber strike in on the job wins 8-hour day in Northwest timber country.
* General Defense Committee formed to defend class war prisoners.

1918

* IWW lumber workers burn bedrolls and mattresses.
* Chicago trial of 100 IWWs for espionage ends in sentences of 20 years for 15 men; 10 years for 35; 5 years for 33;1 year for 12 and nominal sentences for the rest.

1919

* General strikes in Seattle, WA, Butte, MT, Toledo, OH and, Winnipeg, MB.
* MTW strike in Philadelphia, PA.
* Mine workers strike in Butte, MT and Oatman, AZ or 6-hour day.
* Lumber strikes on river drives win clean bedding.
* Lumber workers hall in Superior, WI, attacked by mob but show of force by Wobs turns them back.
* Short-log district lumber strikes include demands for release of class war prisoners and withdrawal of U.S. troops from Russia.
* Centralia Massacre—Mob of Legionnaires attack IWW hall in Centralia, WA. IWWs defend hall with force. IWW Wesley Everest, one of the hall defenders, tortured and lynched by mob. Eight others sent to prison on conspiracy charges.
* MTW branch established in Buenos Aires, Argentina
* IWW administrations established in Mexico and Chile.
* Wichita and Sacramento IWW trials. 2000 class war prisoners.

1920

* Palmer Raids—Palmer Raids round up and deport thousands of alien radicals.
* IWW and British Shop Stewards Movement agree on exchange of membership cards.
* MTW strike in Philadelphia, PA.
* Chilean IWW conducts strike to protest export of food during famine; Chilean government launched reign of terror to destroy IWW.
* Communist-controlled IWW General Executive Board suspends Philadelphia MTW on false charges of loading arms for Russian counter-revolutionary Wrangle.

* Congress of Red Trade Union International attended by delegates from IWW and Canadian OBU. Their reports of political domination by Communists convinces IWW not to affiliate.
* 46 IWWs out on bail on the espionage convictions start prison terms. Bill Haywood and 8 others jump bail and flee to Russia.
* IWW hall raided in Tampico, Mexico. General strike forces government to allow it to reopen.
* Philadelphia MTW branch reinstated.

1922

* Joint MTW and ILA strike in Portland, OR, against Fink Hall, sold out by ILA.
* Construction strike on Great Northern Railroad.
* Strike on power projects in Oregon and Washington.
* Metal Mine strikes in Bingham Canyon and Butte.
* Oil Workers Industrial Union drive in Southwest.
* MTW strike in Portland, OR.
* ILA-hired thugs attempt to drive MTW out of Hoboken, NJ.
* Railroad shopmen’s strike supported by IWW Railroad Workers Industrial Union.
* MTW in Philadelphia strike against blacklist and for 44-hour week.
* Construction strike in Hetch-Hetchy project near San Francisco and on Edison Power irrigation project near Fresno, CA.

1923

* Two strikes against Warren Construction Co. out of Fresno.
* Police try to shut down IWW hall in Mobile, AL but free speech fight prevails.
* Strikes to free class war prisoners conducted by IWW in San Pedro, Aberdeen, New York City, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Mobile and Galveston, and by Lumber and Construction Unions in Washington and Oregon.
* San Pedro free speech fight

1924

* Emergency Program / Four-Trey Split—IWW splits: Emergency Program-IWW sets up headquarters in Portland, Oregon.
* Thugs raid IWW hall in San Pedro, destroy hall and scald children.

1925

* Philadelphia MTW goes over to ILA due to disillusionment over 1924 split and perceived interference from General Administration.
* IWW coal miners strike in Alberta against UMWA check-off.

1927

* Sacco & Vanzetti Murdered—IWW strikes for Sacco and Vanzetti in Colorado. Sacco and Vanzetti executed in Boston.
* Columbine Massacre—Colorado coal strike leads to Columbine Massacre.

1928

* Police raid IWW hall in Walsenburg, CO, two Wobblies killed.

1929

* IWW drive among coal miners in Illinois gains sizable two-card membership in UMWA.
* Strike against U.S. Gypsum Company near Oakfield, NY.
* MTW branch established in Stettin, Germany.
* The Great Depression Begins—Stock market crashes, beginning of Great Depression.

1930

* MTW rallies 1700 crew members of the Leviathan.
* Harlan County Coal Strike—IWW comes to defense of coal miners in Harlan County, KY charged with murder for defending picket lines during strike.

1931

* IWW-EP dissolves.
* IWW begins organization of unemployed with issue of leaflet; “Bread Lines of Picket Lines” and formation of Unemployed Unions in New York, Chicago and Portland, OR.
* Strike at Boulder Dam construction sites.
* Canadian Administration established.

1932

* IWW strike at the Cle Ellum dam project in Washington state.
* Lumber workers participate in strike at Gray’s Harbor.

1933

* Organizing drive among automobile workers in Detroit. Sit-down strike at Briggs Highland plant wins 10% pay hike. Losing strike at Murray Body in September breaks drive.
* IWW hop pickers win strike in Yakima, WA.
* Organizing attempts on WPA construction projects on Mississippi Bridge near New Orleans, at the Los Angeles Aquaduct, Fort Peck in Montana and New York Tunnel.
* Strike at Ferro Foundry in Cleveland, OH.
* Chilean IWW Administration reestablished.

1934

* Cleveland, Ohio, organizing takes off. Strikes at Ohio Foundry, Draper Steel Barrel, Perfection Metal Container, Permold Metal Container, American Stove, National Screw, Cleveland Wire Spring, Republic Brasswin recognition for IWW.
* Charwomen’s strike.
* IWW votes to affiliate with IWA (AIT), then reverses itself.

1935

* Strike at National Screw and National Steel Barrel in Cleveland.
* National Screw unionist Mike Lindway framed on gun charge.
* Lumber workers organize in white pine country.

1936

* Philadelphia MTW refuses to load ships with arms for Franco’s fascist forces in Spain.
* IWW seaman john Kane murdered by International Seaman’s Union (ISU) goons in Houston.
* Lumber workers strike Weyerhauser, win 10% pay hike and camp improvements.
* IWW joins with other libertarian organizations in United Libertarian Organization to sponsor Spanish Revolution newspaper and aid Spanish revolution.

1937

* Construction Workers IU 310 branch wins right to process grievances on WPA jobs in Contra Costa and Alameda counties, California.

1938

* IWW establishes IU310 branch among WPA construction workers, wins free transportation in Watsonville, CA.
* Strike of Filipino fruit pickers.
* New branches in American Brass, Superior Carbon, Globe Steel Barrel and Independent Register in Cleveland.
* IWW branch at American Brass signs contract; IWW referendum changes constitution to allow the practice.
* IWW wins NLRB election at Steel Stamping.

1939

* Canadian IWW establishes Fisheries Industrial Union Branch in McDiarmid, ON.

1940

* Strike at American Stove in Cleveland.

1941

* Metal Mine Workers IU210 organizes U.S. Vanadium mine and negotiates 13% pay boost in Bishop, CA. Wins NLRB election in the mine but loses out to AFL in the mill.

1943

* IWW wins 50 cent premium for working at Bishop mine.
* Organization of Federal Aviation in Cleveland; job action wins raise at American Stove.

1944

* Wobs forced to join AFL affiliate on a tunnel project in Bishop, CA, because AFL held contract with the contractor;
* IU210 signs contract with U.S. Vanadium.

1946

* MTW wins maritime strikes on several ships. British Administration established by MTW.
* IWW Convention adopts “no check-off” rule prohibiting practice of having employers collect union dues from workers’ pay.
* IWW locked out at Jones & Laughlin barrel plant in Youngstown, OH.
* Strike at Schrimer-Dornbirer pump company wins 45 cent/hour pay boost in Cleveland.

1947

* MTW backs British maritime wildcat strike.
* MTW Branch at Galveston, TX, & Houston Towing Co and NLRB victory at Guld Barge & Towing and on the Pasadena and Lynchburg ferries.

1949

* IWW placed on U.S. Attorney General’s List of Subversive Organizations.

1950

* Cleveland Branches withdraw after IWW referendum refuses to sign Taft-Hartley anti-communist affidavits.

1955

* IWW turns 50, near extinction.

1959

* Organizing campaign among restaurant workers and greenhouse workers in New York City.

1964

* Strike against Hodgeman’s Blueberry Farm in Grand Junction, MI.
* Strike against Cedar Alley coffee house, Berkeley, CA.
* Free speech fight at Roosevelt University, Chicago;
* unemployed organizing in Uptown neighborhood forced to retreat in face of SDS JOIN project.

1965

* Agitation among unemployed in San Francisco to gain support for shorter work-week and among apple pickers, Yakima Valley, WA.

1967

* Boston, MA: Resistance anti-draft group joins IWW.
* IWW referendum votes to allow students to join IWW as members of Educational Workers IU 620.

1968

* IU620 Branches established at University of Waterloo, University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

1969

* IWW helps to organize creation of “Chicago People’s Park” in opposition to urban renewal.
* Liberated Guardian becomes IWW shop.

1970

* IWW-affiliated Le Presse Popuiaire du Montreal closed by police under War Measures Act.
* San Diego Street Journal El Barrio becomes IWW shop.

1971

* Chicago Seed staff joins IWW as well as staff of the radical center, Alice’s Revisited;
* Strike against Hip Products;
* Strike against Three Penny Cinema wins contract.
* IWW organizes boycott of University of Illinois (Champaign) Student Union to induce university to buy UFW label head lettuce.
* San Diego, CA: IWW member Ricardo Gonzalves indicted for criminal syndicalism along with two member of the Brown Berets; Fascist Minuteman organization fires shots in Street journal offices.
* Silver miners branch established, Ward, CO. MTW branch established among dockworkers in Malmo, Sweden.

1972

* Two week strike against Park International, Long Beach, CA.
* Part-time workers strike at University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
* Portland, OR: Boycott organized against Winchell’s donuts to win fired IWW her job back;
* Organizing drive at Winter Products furniture factory defeated when eight IWW organizers fired.
* Construction workers job branch in Vancouver refused certification from Canadian Labor Board.

1973

* Controversy over filing union financial statement with federal government (required to participate in NLRB proceedings by the LandrumGriffin Act). Referendum upholds practice.
* Canadian Administration abolished.
* IWW establishes Regional’ Organizing Committees to replace national administrations. ROCs established in Great Britain, Sweden, Canada.
* Strike against Winchell’s Donuts to protest firing of IWW member, Portland, OR.
* Chicago, IL: Organizing drive at McDonalds Restaurants; organizing drive at Eclectic Inc. furniture manufacturer.
* State College, PA: Drives at Roy Rogers and Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants.
* Drive at Pizza Hut restaurant, Arkadelphia, AR.
* Milwaukee, WI: IWW attempt to organize a local at East Side Shop-Rite supermarket thwarted by intervention of Retail Clerks International Union AFL-CIO.
* Chicago IWW member Frank Terrugi killed by military during coup d’etat in Santiago, Chile.
* Unemployed agitation and support for Meatcutter’s strike against Doug’s Shop and Save supermarkets, Orono-Bangor, ME.

1974

* Portland, OR: IWW organizes West Side School and the Albina Day Care Center, force re-hiring of unionist and firing of day care director.
* Metal and Machinery Workers IU 440 Organizing Committee set up in Chicago and launches drive at small metal working shops in the city.
* IWW supports Artistic Woodwork Strike in Toronto and suffer a number of arrests.
* IWW journalist Frank Gould disappeared while covering guerrilla rebellion, Philippines.

1975

* IWW 35th Convention establishes Industrial Organizing Committee to bring together IWW members with organizing skills to help out with organizing drives. Fred Thompson mandated to issue an IOC Bulletin. Nothing comes of it.
* Some New York members set up a “Friends of IWA” group.

1976

* Chicago, IL: Strike support work for striking child-care workers (Augustana Nursery); Cook County Hospital nurses; and Capitol Packaging; Enforces Boycott of Kingston Mines nightclub to force owner to pay wages earned to a band, which included two Wobs; Health Workers IU610 Organizing Committee established; Construction Workers job branch established on South Side.
* New York City General Defense Committee establishes international Libertarian Labor Fund to raise money for CNT in Spain. Sponsors tour of North America by veteran anarcho-syndicalist Augustin Souchy. The tour raised over $3000.
* Job branch established at Kochum’s Shipyard, Malmo, Sweden.
* IWW Shop Stewards Committee in AFSCME local at Bangor (ME) Mental Health Institute leads one-day wildcat strike.
* IWW issues solidarity assessment stamp to support CNT reconstruction.

1977

* Chicago’s IU440 Committee takes on organizing drive at Mid-America Machinery, Virden, IL. Majority of workers in the shop, concerned primarily about safety, sign-up in union and demand recognition. Boss locks them out. IWW files ULP charges and pickets the work-site and auctions. Company sues union and organizer for $50,000 each (both suits later dismissed). Wob Rick Wehlitz fired for sabotage.
* IU670 (Public Service Workers) organizing campaign among CETA trainees and Bus Washers in Santa Cruz, CA. For some CETA trainees the IWW won better wages, health and dental benefits, safer working conditions, grievance procedures, legal insurance, paid holidays and vacations, 32 hours’ work for 40 hours’ pay, retirement benefits, profit sharing, and the elimination of sexual, racial and other forms of discrimination. Bus washers: 100% signed up, two fired but company forced to re-hire, and harassment of union members. Finally workers forced to join other union which had previously barred them.
* Branch supports striking auto trades mechanics, Tacoma, WA.
* IU 630 (Entertainment and Recreation Workers) Network Conference establishes a Clearinghouse in Chicago and issues a model contract for use of musicians when landing gigs; Branch solidarity with Dresher Manufacturing strikers who were abandoned by Teamster Local 743. Support helps win decent contract.
* La Migra busts Dresher unionists.
* Albuquerque, NM: IU310 (General Construction Workers) drive among Rio Grande Conservancy District construction project. 20 sign authorization cards and 6 join union. 3 workers fired in retaliation.

1978

* Virden, IL: IU440 strike threat forces boss to back down from threatened lay-off. More picketing at auctions costs boss thousands of dollars. NLRB issues directed bargaining order; boss appeals. NLRB orders Wob James D’Aunoy re-instated.
* In June IWW strikes Mid-America for recognition but fails to budge boss. Strike called off after three months.
* Chicago: IU610 (Health Care Workers) Committee issues a pamphlet aimed at workers in area hospitals. Propose to form alternative to Health Employees Labor Program (HELP), a lash-up of the Service Employees International Union Local 73 and Teamsters Local 743. The drive is opposed from the beginning by a member of the Chicago Branch who is also a business agent for Local 73. This opposition eventually succeeds in thwarting the IU610 Committee’s efforts to gain Branch support and causes IU610 Committee members to leave the IWW.
* IWW Conference establishes new Industrial Organizing Committee.

1979

* IWW IU660 (General Distribution Workers) organizing begins in Ann Arbor, MI. Defeat lockout at Charing Cross Bookstore. Win NLRB election at University Cellar Bookstore at UM in Ann Arbor and win contract following brief strike. Contract includes significant workers control provisions.
* IWW IU450 (Printing and Publishing Workers) contract signed at Eastown Printing, Grand Rapids, MI.

1980

* Virden, IL: MidAmerica finally agrees to recognize IWW and bargain. However, union has no members left in the shop. Attempts to contact current employees fail.
* Ann Arbor, MI: Workers at Wordprocessors strike, set up independent union—Employees Against Arbitrary Action.
* Organizing drive at Leopold Bloom’s Restaurant takes off. During campaign direct action wins a woman fellow worker her job back after she is fired for complaining about sexual harassment. Union gains voluntary recognition and a first contract, but restaurant goes out of business due to poor management.
* Boston Wobblies actively involved in organization of the independent United Taxi Workers Organizing Committee seeking to escape the clutches of the Teamsters union.

1981

* IWW’s active in reform movement in the Laborers’Union in Alaska (ROOR) and in the Teamsters Union (TDU) in New York.
* Ann Arbor, MI: U-Cellar IU660 Branch signs third contract with workers’ control provisions.
* Round Lake, MN: The IWW-IOC affiliated All Workers Organizing Committee gets about half of the employees at the Sather Cookie Company to sign authorization cards and file a petition with NLRB for an election. United Food and Commercial Workers Union (AFL-CIO) intervenes and IWW retreats to avoid splitting the pro-union vote, according to the committee.

1982

* Houston, AR: IWW Industrial Organizing Committee drive at King Homes,and Castle Truss mobile home manufacturing plants owned by Castle Industries.

1983

* People’s Wherehouse job branch in Ann Arbor wins recognition without election and begins negotiations on first contract gains.
* Chicago, IL: IWW supports boycott of Coca Cola in solidarity with occupation of Coke plant in Guatemala.
* Bellingham, WA: IWW initiates Food for People project to feed unemployed and underemployed. Program ends when powers that be pressure landlords into not renting space.
* IWW, through the Vancouver Unemployed Action Center, initiates campaign against Job Mart Employment Agency which was selling job lists to the unemployed for up to $50. Through a combination of leafleting, pickets and legal action the campaign succeeds in closing down job Mart and getting some of the victims of the scam their money back.
* Rank and File Organizing Committee established to counter IOC.