The IWW is a member-run union. Our focus is on providing workers with the support and skills to autonomously organise their fellow workers in their workplace and fight against exploitation and for worker control by building collective grievances and struggle.

We believe that workers’ strength does not come from on paper legal rights, but from looking out for one another. Workers are best served by organising with one another around common workplace issues. An organised workplace can ask for more than the meagre protections that labour rights afford them. An organised workplace can use collective power to improve conditions according to the criteria of the workers. This could be through higher wages, or better working hours, more training or more autonomy in the workplace.

The IWW is an industrial union, rather than a trade union. This means we believe that all workers, in all industries, should organise together. When workers organise by trades, they end up focussing on their differences. This means that bosses who manage workers of different trades in a single workplace can pit even organised workers against one another. We recognise that all workers have a shared interest

So how can the IWW help you?

In the IWW, we offer training for a range of issues. Experienced union organisers can provide you and your colleagues with guidance on how to convince your colleagues of the benefit of collective action; how to decide on the workplace issues you would like to focus on; and how to win those concessions from your workplace.

What if I’m in trouble at work?

There are some members of the IWW who are trained union representatives. This gives them particular rights when it comes to accompanying workers to disciplinary meetings, helping to draft grievances for workplace mistreatment, and taking bosses to tribunal if needed. However, as a union we emphasise that all issues are best delt with through the collective power of yourself and your colleagues. This means we recommend being proactive about organising your workplace before issues arise so you have the upper hand.

All of this support is offered by volunteers, on the principle that paid organisers and representatives have interests that don’t align with workers. We are union of workers and for workers. When you join the IWW, you can recognise that everyone is in the same boat, and that no member is privileged above another.