Industrial Workers of the World One Big Union

The IWW is a union, not a political party. We believe that economic justice must be achieved through social and economic struggle, whether it be with our boss or landlord.

The IWW has successfully resisted attempts by various left parties to make the union a mere adjunct to their political ambitions. By refusing to endorse one party or another, the IWW has avoided the sectarian feuding that can easily destroy a group.

Nevertheless, many of the founders of the IWW were also active in socialist politics. While some IWW members consider themselves anarchists and shun all electoral activity, many of our members are active in a variety of political parties and movements. Other members are simply militant unionists who would disavow all labels. Our commitment to industrial democracy and the abolition of capitalism makes us a left organisation more through default than design.