Radical media, politics and culture.

The Wobblies Are Coming, Edmonton, Sept. 3-6, 2004

Anonymous Comrade writes:

Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)

North American General Assembly

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Sept. 3-6, 2004
The City of Edmonton is celebrating its Centenary this year, and the IWW celebrates our struggle to win workers rights in this City since a branch was first formed here 90 years ago.

We are proud to host this years IWW General Assembly, and celebrate the IWW's 99th Anniversery since it's founding in Chicago in 1905.FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
http://edmonton.iww.ca/
IWW Edmonton GMB
PO Box 75175
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
T6E 6K1
Email: edmonton@iww.org

On January 28, 1914 The Edmonton Journal Headlined The News:
IWW TRIUMPHANT!
Edmonton, Alberta was then a major railroad construction center and in the winter of 1913- 14, thousands of workers from all over Canada and the US were stranded there without jobs or funds. The city fathers refused to alleviate their plight. The IWW established an Edmonton Unemployed League, demanding that the city furnish work to everybody regardless of race, colour or nationality, at a rate of 30 cents an hour, and further, that in the meantime the city distribute three 25-cent meal tickets to each man daily, tickets redeemable at any restaurant in town.

These demands were backed by mass parades which police clubs and arrests could not stop. The city council provided a large hall for the homeless, passed out three 25-cent meal tickets to each man daily, and employed 400 people on a public project.

During WWI the IWW members in Edmonton belonged to the Edmonton Trades and Labour Council (aka EDLC), and were founding members of the first Canadian Industrial Union: the One Big Union (OBU), and were members of the Socialist Party of Canada and founding members of the Workers Party of Canada (aka CP).

In 1919 these wobs helped organize the Edmonton General Strike in soldiarity with the Winnipeg General Strike. The strike lasted two months, and the ETLC ran the city under workers control in cooperation with City Council.

THE RETURN OF THE WOBBLIES

While the IWW declined in membership from during the 1950's, a lone delegate in Edmonton continued his membership, while also belonging to an Edmonton Local of the International Association of Machinists (IAM), which he represented as Vice President.

In 1975 a Branch was formed in Edmonton as the IWW began reviving across Canada and North America. The Branch was formed around members of the Erewhon Books Collective.

After a twenty year abscence a new branch formed in Edmonton in 1999. Like the wobblies of 90 years ago, we are still fighting to organize the unorganized, for a Living Wage and Benefits for all workers.