As with other manual industries, the IWW’s long history was in part built on their organising in mining. Ever since the miners’ strike, mining in the UK has taken a downward spiral. The combined power of bosses eventually put paid to their heroic efforts. However, mining continues in some places and conditions are barely better than they were in the 1980s. Workers still endure long hours of hard work, with relatively little respect or power on the job.
In emerging mineral, chemical and geothermal industries, likewise, workers perform dangerous tasks every day and have very little control over their jobs. The IWW seeks to bring these workers together into a powerful rank-and-file union that will fight for their interests and support them every inch of the way. We welcome workers from three broad areas:
- Industrial Union 210: Metal Mine Workers (all metal and mineral mineworkers, including workers in refining and processing)
- Industrial Union 220: Coal Mine Workers (coal miners, and workers in the production of coke and briquets)
- Industrial Union 230: Oil, Gas and Geothermal Workers (oil, gas and geothermal workers, including workers at refineries and distribution)
Contact rocsec [at] iww [dot] org [dot] uk for more information.