[.ca] The Wobblies

"I can hire one half of the working class to kill the other half." (Jay Gould):
If you can be classified as a 'worker' in America, then you owe a debt of gratitude to the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World) or the Wobblies as they were called. This documentary charts the growth of the IWW, the highlights of its history, and how this labour movement was effectively crushed in the 1920s--thanks to fallout from WWI and the Red Scare (following the Russian Revolution in October 1917), internal conflicts, and government repression. Regarded as a "radical fungus" the IWW thrived amongst workers who struggled under appalling working conditions, no safety rules, and no medical treatment for injuries suffered as a result of their jobs. Packed with interviews with Wobblies, archival footage, Wobbly Art and songs, this documentary is a treat for anyone interested in the rich history of the IWW or the labour movement. I'd heard mainly negative stuff in the past (being told, for example, that IWW stood for I Won't Work), so it was refreshing to hear how the Wobblies demanded an 8 hour day, protected the rails from brutal thugs, and fought for the Right to Free Speech. This was a labour movement that embraced all under its banner of equality, and they simply fought for many of the things taken for granted in this country today. Archival footage establishes the horrendous work conditions facing the poor and disenfranchised who reasoned that the owners needed their labour in order to continue. DVD extra features include: interview with directors Deborah Shaffer and Stewart Bird, filmmaker biographies, photo gallery, interview with historian Paul Buhle, and recordings of IWW songs--displacedhuman