The Union Tavern, 52 Lloyd Baker Street, WC1X 9AA
A Workers' Liberty meeting and Christmas social event celebrating the life and struggles of Joe Hill, who was murdered by the bosses a hundred years ago.
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On 19 November 1915, the Swedish American labour movement activist and songwriter Joe Hill was executed in Utah, after being framed for murder. He was killed because he was a trouble maker.
As an organiser of the Industrial Workers of the World, Hill helped to embolden workers in their fights against repressive and violent bosses, writing songs to bolster morale and solidarity.
A commitment to socialism, women's rights and anti-racism was the meaning of Hill's life. That will continue to live on, as long as working-class people are forced to sell their labour power to capitalists to survive, and need organise together to overthrow the system of wage slavery.
Hill never lost his faith in that fight:
“If the workers take a notion, they can stop all speeding trains;
Every ship upon the ocean they can tie with mighty chains.
Every wheel in the creation, every mine and every mill,
Fleets and armies of the nation, will at their command stand still.”
Our evening will start with documentary clips and readings about Joe Hill, the IWW and US labour struggle in the years leading up to the First World War. Then over drinks and food we will listen to his songs and discuss.
www.workersliberty.org/story/2014/07/10/wobblies
joehill100.com
labornotes.org/blogs/2015/11/striking-job-joe-hills-living-message
www.haymarketbooks.org/pb/Letters-of-Joe-Hill