I am a member of the newly formed Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee of the IWW (more information here and here). Right now, the IWOC is focused on supporting the Free Alabama Movement's nonviolent protest strike which is happening right now in Alabama prisons. For more info on how you can support that and to keep updated on the events of the strike, you can like the IWOC's Facebook page where we'll be posting about those things regularly, or you can donate to the campaign fund here.
But enough plugging.
When the strike ends next month, we'll continue to support and work with the independent Free Alabama Movement, but we'll also begin refocusing our organizing toward building an international union of incarcerated workers. The issue with this is that the IWW is small and the prison-industrial complex is big. We're seeking to build an international coalition to help us in this task along with working toward dismantling the PIC and prison abolition in general.
While we are currently centered in North America, we want to work with groups from all across the globe. If there is an IWW branch near you, I encourage you to reach out to and work with them. If there is no IWW branch near you, then you can contact the IWOC through our email address, which is [email protected] and we'll work with you directly.
I'm also on a sub-committee of the IWOC tasked with reaching out to IWW branches and international non-IWW groups to work with them toward developing solidarity committees, which will be the primary vehicles for connecting and working with people behind bars to build branches of the Incarcerated Workers Industrial Union.
If you're an IWW member yourself, then I recommend you talk with your branch about establishing your own solidarity committee. If you (as an dues paying member of the IWW) are interested in becoming involved with the IWOC directly, let us know through the committee email address.
Solidarity with all workers, whether they're behind bars or not!
There have been call-in
There have been call-in campaigns to the prison with specific demands for specific prisoners. Melvin Ray, an agitator and organizer in the prison was put in solitary.
When they happen, you can organize an evening where you all hang out, discuss the situation, and one after the other do your call-in on speaker phone. While you are all hanging out, take up a collection, do letter writing to prisoners.
Also, you can brainstorm some fundraising for specific prisoners commissary account or the IWOC itself.
Latest news?
Latest news?
Is there an Iwoc in Texas? I
Is there an Iwoc in Texas? I am very interested to find out more about Is of if possible. I have a son incarcerated. The unit he is on does many inhumane things. The unit has a rapid growth of scabies but will not sanitize unit. They had the unit on lockdown shake down for almost a month and only allowed the inmates to bathe twice a week. Something need to be done.