The working class and the employing class have nothing in common.There can be no peace so long as hunger and want are found among millions of the working people and the few, who make up the employing class, have all the good things of life.

Preamble of the Constitution of the Industrial Workers of the World, 1905

Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) Suomi is a grassroots union that uses the methods of solidarity unionism to organise across industries and workplaces.We do not organise on behalf of people, but as fellow workers, organising together.

What IWW Suomi offers is a tried-and-tested framework for workplace organising and a network of comradely members. Together, we take direct action in workplaces and contexts that standard unions often overlook or avoid.

We are International

IWW Suomi is part of a broader international union movement known as the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). While workplace organising and casework – especially with workers who have been neglected by traditional unions – form the core of IWW activity, these efforts are always linked to a broader struggle for the overcoming of capitalism. The unapologetically revolutionary aim of the IWW is to abolish wage slavery. With its long history, the IWW brings over a century of experience in developing tactics that have shaped international struggles against the power of capital.

An injury to one is an injury to all. We are dedicated to fighting for the liberation of all workers, everywhere, from the river to the sea.

We are Industrial

The IWW does not organise along traditional trade lines, as is common in many unions. We call ourselves industrial because we invite all workers across an entire workplace or industry to organise together. For example, this means that both cleaners and teachers in a school organise collectively as fellow workers in the same workplace, rather than through separate, trade-specific unions.

Our Diverse & Finnish Roots

The IWW was first founded in North America in 1905 and took the revolutionary step of being the first union to welcome all workers – regardless of gender, race, or immigration status – into the same organisation. Many of its early members were immigrants, some of whom rose to prominence within the union’s leadership.

Finnish immigrants made up a significant portion of the IWW’s early membership and played a key role in its development in the areas of Finnish American settlement.

Historical Figures

The IWW has long been at the forefront of innovating worker tactics, bringing direct action into focus rather than relying solely on conventional strike methods. One historical figure in these innovations was IWW founding member Lucy Parsons, whose Native American, Mexican, and African American heritage reflected the union’s diverse membership. One of her most well-known statements captures her radical vision of worker action:

“My conception of the strike of the future is not to go out and strike and starve, but to strike and remain in and take possession of the necessary property of production.”

The IWW continues to work across ideological lines. Some members are drawn to anarchist traditions; others are influenced by Marxist thought. A historical figure who embodied this spirit of ideological openness was Big Bill Haywood, a founding member of the IWW. He believed in uniting workers across ethnic lines and political backgrounds and prioritised direct action over political reform. As he once said:

“I haven’t read Marx’s Capital, but I’ve got the marks of capital all over my body.”

Our Administration

IWW Suomi is administered by the Finnish Regional Organising Committee (FINROC) of the IWW. While operating independently, FINROC also participates IWW Wales, Ireland and Scotland Regional Administration (WISERA) which covers IWW’s European and Middle Eastern regions.

Formal registration of IWW Suomi is managed by WISERA’s regional administration, while local membership matters – including the payment of dues – are handled by FINROC, the administrative body of IWW Suomi.

We support dual and multiple unionism. You can be a member of other unions while being a member of the IWW.

Our Union Officers

IWW does not have a complex bureaucratic hierarchy. Instead we elect voluntary officers who participate in members monthly meetings and help maintain the administration so that members can focus on organising in their workplaces.

IWW Suomi has elected Officers including a Secretary, Chair, Co-Chair and Treasurer as well as an International Delegate. We are also seeking additional Officers including a Communications Officer, Transformative Justice Officer, and Membership Officer. If you are a member you can run for an Officer position.

Constitution and Rules