Who We Are

We are the Portland Branch of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW).

The IWW is a non-traditional, or radical, labor union.
It is a union that welcomes workers from all industries and backgrounds. We believe that instead of having many different unions that organize workers in different sectors, all workers should be organized in one big union. If all workers were united we would be an unstoppable force and could make changes not just to our job conditions, but to society. Our goal is to be free of the oppression of our bosses, and all of the systems that oppress us, including the wage system in which others profit off our sweat.

We also believe in minority unionism. That means that we don’t need permission, from our bosses or any other party, to talk to our co-workers, get organized and make changes at our job.  We rely on worker solidarity to get the job done, not the courts, not outside organizers, and certainly not our bosses.

In Portland, we focus heavily on work place organizing. We talk to workers interested in making changes on their job. We offer mentorship and trainings on how to do organizing work with co-workers and how to get demands met.  We want to work with people in all types of jobs and from all backgrounds.  We also host educational labor-related events both for our membership and the community.  There are many aspects to our work, but it is all done in the name of worker solidarity and worker power.