Essay Sample on Wobblies

Introduction

The industrial workers of the World (IWW), are the pioneers of the current standards workers ply their trade through. The author Shawn Stevenson highlights the action-packed Armistice Day on 11th November 1919, in Washington that created a platform for the turnaround of the events of any laborer. The way they united and joined hands to fight off their bosses and also defend their headquarters show how important these values were to them. Going head to head with their employers with the aim of attaining 'a proper working environment' deepens the issue of self-sacrifice. They may have lost many lives defending workers' rights and their 'hall,' but the main issue is the impact they had after that, it may have taken longer, but as for now, only one problem is yet to be addressed. It just goes a mile to make them heroes to all the workers. Retaliation from the so-called bosses against the striking Wobblies led to the eruption of war. According to the Bosses, the Wobblies were already raking the best income they could get, and yet they still asked for more. They were infringing the bosses and the business owners. The mob attack aimed to suppress the Wobblies and their quest for better working environments and defense of the hall.

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The right to work in a better environment should be given to all laborers regardless of the level of work. The conditions which the laborers were going through in their search for daily bread were at their worst. "The job was hazardous, pay was poor, and workers were subject to the venal system of exploitative..." the conditions were not pleasant to motivate these workers. Straight from the sleeping area where they slept on beddings they had to seek for themselves. One most important factor to increase production in any company is the worker or laborer. They are the most important players in the day to day running of the particular sector. Ensuring that these workers have better working environments, paying them well and also footing for necessities will go an extra mile in the motivation of this worker. A well-motivated worker will have better work mentality, and all these will be reflected in the production sector. Being laborers, they were entitled to a better working environment. The bosses should have provided the 'Wobblies' with better working states which would have benefited them in production and increased returns. The case of the Wobblies even though they had been denied these rights by the bosses still struggled and went to the extent of self-sacrifice. Even though they knew the potential results or presumed, they still went ahead with the 'fight.' The 'cause' was deemed more important than life itself; they needed to protect their rights and also the hall. Hence it is was of huge importance to provide these workers to better working environments.

Freedom of expression is not limited to anyone. Expressing oneself is a critical aspect in the lives of many people. There are many ways in which one can achieve this; some might take the violent form of expression while others may take a non-violent approach. Workers are infringed by the laws set up by their 'bosses' and become targets from their environments. They are not allowed to express themselves by their superiors to bring about their reactions with regards to the rules. It is important to put into consideration that a much more expressed worker will attain their best possible 'value' for the company. This because they will not be suppressed by rules or in some occasions they do get the privilege of putting up their own rules. Such rules will give them the freedom to perform better. Laborers' oppression always occurs when the worker is pinned down. Due to various people, lacking a source of income, they will face oppression just to put food in the table. Such cases have limited how these people are handled since they need the job more than their expression, they will be put up in hostile environments. Fear of losing jobs limits their desire to fight against their oppressor or even air their grievances. "...Armed vigilantes or "special police" would stop working men on the street and forcibly search them. Those found with the IWW's red membership card would be forced to leave..." Setting up of the unions to fight for the rights of the workers is another method of expressing themselves. Such unions can fight for the better working conditions of the worker and also prosecute the superiors who attempt to step on the rights of workers. All workers have the right to express themselves in their working environments without being infringed by their superiors.

The right of workers and expressing themselves are not negative things. The workers do sometimes overstep with their requests. The whole quest for friendlier or better working conditions was asking a lot from the owners. The level of the economy at any moment can deteriorate, and this means that the returns will be minimal therefore, asking for more would affect the running of the lumbering companies. Over reaction by workers makes them targets by their superiors, at some point they also feel cornered and in return they retaliate. "...they were targets of special police..." Even though they had a notion about the results, they still went through with it and fought for their rights. Retaliations will see them suffer much more than their superiors due to the nature and position of the 'arguments.'

Conclusion

The Wobblies fought for their rights and to claim what they deemed fit to them; workers are a massive force in most companies. Attaining better working environments helps bring about the best of the company. The rights of workers should be observed, and their livelihoods looked after. Freedom of expression, good working environments and they should be concerned about their livelihoods.