Revolutionary Industrial Unionism: The Industrial Workers of the World in Australia

Verity Burgmann

CUP Archive, Oct 16, 1995 - Biography & Autobiography - 346 pages

The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) in Australia are better known for the stories told about them than for any document historical significance. Renowned for their audacity and hooliganism the 'Wobblies' were particularly notorious for their active opposition to World War I. This landmark book conveys the vitality and drama of Wobbly activity, and also assesses the impact of the IWW on Australian political and labour history. Drawing from an impressive range of sources, Verity Burgmann writes with vigour and passion about Wobbly culture, and describes their doctrines, methods and organisation. The book highlights the unique nature of the IWW in Australia, and traces Wobbly influence in much post-war activity. Now, with the widespread collapse of communism and the inadequacies of labour parties, the IWW, as an alternative form of revolutionary working-class politics, merits renewed investigation.

Contents

• Flowers to the rebels failed: 1
• Notes: 5
• the arrival of the: 27
• Chicago IWW 19101914: 35
• Donald Grant speaking in the Sydney Domain: 37
• who were the Wobblies?: 61
• Tom Barker one of the IWW agitators: 70
• the challenge to workingclass racism: 79
• IWW recruiting stickers: 86
• The Rebel Girl May Ewart Wilson: 99
• organisation and practice: 111
• Direct Actions response to the prohibition of street speaking: 122
• ethics and economics: 130
• IWW recruiting stickers: 141
• the critique of Laborism: 143
• The cry for Direct Action contrasted with Craft Unionism: 151
• direct industrial action: 159
• The IWW was blamed for the defeat of the conscription: 161
• The IWW condemned the First World War Direct Action: 182
• Syd Nicholls cartoon Direct Action: 191
• the state responds: 203
• Donald Grant: 219
• the release campaign: 229
• Direct Actions comment on the imprisonment of the Twelve: 230
• What happened to the Wobblies?: 246
• Newcastles Industrialist and the One Big Union: 254
• IWW demonstrations in Perth August 1939: 268
• Cartoon from IWW poster Melbourne 1970s: 275
• Select Bibliography: 312
• Index: 328

Bibliographic information

• Title: Revolutionary Industrial Unionism: The Industrial Workers of the World in Australia
• Author: Verity Burgmann
• Edition: illustrated, revised
• Publisher: CUP Archive, 1995
• ISBN: 0521471230, 9780521471237
• Length: 346 pages
• Subjects: Biography & Autobiography / Historical; Political Science / General