Solidarity

1. Solidarity

2. International Workers of the World • 1905 IWW Convention the “New Continental Congress” • Industrial Union • Thought change would come through a general strike hoping the workers would take over • Marxist organization

3. IWW in the Northwest • IWW in the Northwest wanted to organize all industry into one large union including timber, shipping • They wanted the workers to own the companies • Rejected the electoral system

4. Key Wobblies • Big Bill Haywood – Helped organize strikes for for workers of all races • Eugene Debs – Leader of the labor movement in America ran for president in 1908 • Elizabeth Gurley Flynn – Feminist concerned with equal pay for workers, helped organize strikes • Joe Hill – martyr of the Wobblies, “Don’t morn…organize.” • Marie Equi – Portland doctor who performed abortions regardless of class, helped organize humanitarian efforts, fought for workers rights • All of these individuals went to jail at least once for their cause

5. Free Speech Action in Portland • Standing on soap boxes in downtown Portland (6th and Washington) IWW speakers would shout their messages of worker’s rights and the need to organize to the people passing by • The newly elected, upon being sworn in ordered all public speaking to end except religious meetings • IWW members challenged this by continuing to speak on street corners in Portland • On one occasion in 1913 the police arrested every man who stepped on the soap box and began to speak until the jail was filled with shouting, singing IWW members • Once all of the men had been arrested, the women started in and were arrested as well • This marked the beginning of violent conflict between the IWW in Portland and Portland police

6. Portland 1913 6th Street downtown between Alder & Washington the IWW free speech fight 6th and Alder today

7. Wobblies fight for free speech in Portland, 1913 Tom Burns, IWW organizer, the "Mayor of Burnside"