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Edinburgh I.W.W.
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White or blue collar , permanent or temporary , part or full-time - we invite you to join the Edinburgh Branch of the Industrial Workers of the World . You don't need us to tell you about the problems that are rife in most work places . Stress , no job security , poor pay , understaffing , overwork , inadequate health and safety , bullying , harassment . Short contracts and casualisation are making things worse . We offer no magic solution . But one thing is clear . If we don't stand up for ourselves we are always going to get a raw deal . On our own we can change little , but together we can improve our conditions.The more we take a stand and the less we let our employer run our lifes, the better our lifes will be .
The Edinburgh Branch of the IWW is newly formed . Already we have members active in higher education, call centres , the post office , the retail industry , insurance , among the unemployed and so on . Small but significant victories have been won , such as gaining holiday entitlement for temporary workers in a major Edinburgh higher education establishment . If you are interested in workers organising ourselves to improve things at work , we invite you to join the IWW. If you are a union member you don't need to leave your existing union - in fact if you are already in a union you pay only £1 per month iww dues. The IWW can provide advice on legal rights to holidays , wages , breaks , etc , on health and safety on bargaining and negotiating , on tactics for winning improvements , and more. We will try to give whatever assistance you feel you need . Obviously , the more of us there are , the more we can do .
The IWW is very different from the conventional trade unions . The IWW is a DIY Union. The IWW cannot sell you out because its leadership is its rank and file - the members make the decisions and have the final say . We have no paid full-time officials . All union-wide decisions are taken by referendum, while IWW workplaces and branches make their own decisions about bargaining and strategy . The IWW recognises that the iunterests of workers and employers are different and irreconcilable - ultimately , to meet our needs , workers need to run the workplaces and society co-operatively without bosses , for need not profit . In the era of globalisation, capitalism and employers are organised world-wide . To combat this , the IWW is an international union , a movement which though yet small , is growing .
The IWW is a union for ALL workers, and opposes any oppression or discrimination on the grounds of nationality , ethnic origin , religion , gender or sexual orientation . The IWW is completely independent , and is not affiliated to any political party or movement
The IWW won't try and flog you life insurance or credit cards but will offer advice on labour law and practical help when you experience any work-related hassle , whether "large" or "small" . We believe in helping workers to help themselves through collective organisation , not in selling services or forming partnerships with employers .
The IWW offers information, solidarity , direct action and the will to win . We are active here in Edinburgh and we invite you to join us .
MEMBERSHIP RATES
Monthly take home pay monthy dues
up to £650 £1
£650 - £1200 £3
above £1200 £7.50
existing trade union member min. £1
IWW , c/o 17 West Montgomery Place
Edinburgh EH7 5HA
0131-557-6242
BRANCH MEETINGS ARE HELD 7.30PM THE 1ST MONDAY OF EACH MONTH AT COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS UNION CLUB BRUNSWICK STREET ....ALL WELCOME
Low Pay Unit
http://www.gmlpu.org.uk/advice.htm
Independent Alternative Media
http://uk.indymedia.org/scmission.php3
Employment Advice
McDonalds Workers Resistance
Miners Advice Centre
http://www.minersadvice.co.uk/
A collection of original early-days IWW pamphlets and documents from the USA by such names as Big Bill Haywood, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and Vincent St. John. A must for the serious student of IWW history.
http://digital.library.arizona.edu/bisbee/main/iww.php
An Injury to One is an Injury to All
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edinburghiww@yahoo.co.uk