L.U. 343 (i,spa&st), LE SUEUR, MN — Happy New Year, brothers and sisters! This is the month we make resolutions and commit to making changes or improvements in our lives. The International Office has made a resolution to organize hundreds of thousands of new members, covering all branches of the IBEW. With the promise of decades’ worth of new work throughout the country, the ultimate goal is to reach a total of 1 million members. This campaign will bring new policies to local unions and new challenges for business managers and staff organizers.
Organizing those who are nonunion has never been easy, although it is safer today than it was 100 years ago. Joe Hill was a union activist, organizer and member of the Industrial Workers of the World in the early 1900s. He became a popular songwriter and cartoonist for the union. At that time, the IWW was considered radical by business society and law enforcement. In November 1915, Joe Hill was accused of murder on trumped-up charges. His trial was controversial, garnering international attention. Joe Hill was executed by firing squad at a Utah prison.
His last words were: “Don’t mourn for me. Organize.”
Make a resolution to buy Made in the USA.
Tom Small, P.S.
