One Big Union Monthly

One Big Union Monthly was a monthly publication of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), also known as the Wobblies, a labor union founded in 1905 by Eugene V. Debs, Mary Harris Jones, and Daniel De Leon. The magazine was established in 1937, during a period of significant labor unrest in the United States, with major events like the Flint sit-down strike and the Little Steel strike led by the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) and supported by John L. Lewis and Sidney Hillman. The IWW, with its emphasis on direct action and anarcho-syndicalism, was influenced by the ideas of Peter Kropotkin, Mikhail Bakunin, and Rudolf Rocker, and had connections with other radical organizations like the Socialist Party of America and the Communist Party USA.

● History

The history of One Big Union Monthly is closely tied to the development of the IWW, which was founded in Chicago in 1905 by a group of labor activists, including Eugene V. Debs, Mary Harris Jones, and Daniel De Leon. The IWW's early years were marked by significant growth and radical activity, with the union playing a key role in major labor struggles like the Lawrence Textile Strike and the Bisbee Deportation. The IWW was also influenced by the ideas of Emma Goldman, Alexander Berkman, and Voltairine de Cleyre, and had connections with other radical organizations like the Industrial Union of Marine and Shipbuilding Workers of America and the Brotherhood of Timber Workers. During World War I, the IWW was subject to significant repression, with many of its leaders, including Big Bill Haywood, arrested and imprisoned under the Espionage Act of 1917. The IWW also had connections with international labor organizations like the International Workers of the World and the Anarchist St. Imier International.

● Publication

One Big Union Monthly was published by the IWW from 1937 to 1941, with a circulation of around 10,000 copies per month. The magazine was edited by a collective of IWW members, including Fred Thompson, Frank Cedervall, and John S. Gambs, and featured articles, news, and analysis on labor issues, as well as poetry, cartoons, and other creative content. The magazine was distributed to IWW members and supporters across the United States and Canada, and was also available at newsstands and radical bookstores in cities like New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco. The IWW also published other magazines and newspapers, including the Industrial Worker and the General Organization Bulletin, which were influenced by the ideas of Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and Rosa Luxemburg.

● Content

The content of One Big Union Monthly reflected the IWW's radical and militant approach to labor organizing, with articles and editorials advocating for direct action, sabotage, and general strike. The magazine also featured news and analysis on major labor struggles of the time, including the Sit-Down Strike and the Memorial Day massacre of 1937, as well as articles on labor history, anarcho-syndicalism, and socialism. The magazine's contributors included prominent IWW members and supporters, such as William Z. Foster, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, and James P. Cannon, as well as other radical writers and artists, like Langston Hughes, John Steinbeck, and Dorothea Lange. The IWW also had connections with other radical organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

● Impact

The impact of One Big Union Monthly was significant, both within the IWW and in the broader labor movement. The magazine helped to promote the IWW's radical and militant approach to labor organizing, and played a key role in shaping the union's ideology and strategy. The magazine also helped to build connections between the IWW and other radical organizations, both in the United States and internationally, including the Confédération Générale du Travail and the Sindicato Único de Trabajadores. The IWW's influence can be seen in the work of other labor organizations, such as the Congress of Industrial Organizations and the American Federation of Labor, which were led by figures like John L. Lewis and George Meany. The IWW also had connections with international labor organizations like the International Labour Organization and the World Federation of Trade Unions.

● Notable Contributors

One Big Union Monthly featured contributions from a wide range of radical writers, artists, and labor activists, including William Z. Foster, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, and James P. Cannon. Other notable contributors included Langston Hughes, John Steinbeck, and Dorothea Lange, as well as IWW members and supporters like Fred Thompson, Frank Cedervall, and John S. Gambs. The magazine also featured articles and editorials from prominent labor leaders, such as John L. Lewis and Sidney Hillman, as well as radical intellectuals like C. Wright Mills and Herbert Marcuse. The IWW also had connections with other notable figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X, who were influenced by the union's radical and militant approach to labor organizing.

Category:Labor unions in the United States