Social Services & Health Care Industrial Organizing

Industrial Union 650

In the Industrial Workers of the World, we classify organizing by assigning certain industries, a number. Currently, in Portland there is a large concentration of organized IWW members in the industry of social services.  We call this industry 650, and it includes General, Legal, Public Interest, and Financial Office workers including social work and office workers.

The branch currently represents and supports workers at Harry’s Mother (a Janus Youth Program), Street Light Porch light Shelter (Janus Youth Program) and the Portland Women’s Crisis Line.  All three of these workplaces organized for official union recognition and currently bargain their own contracts on a regular basis.  Additionally, we support many other workers who are struggling to improve the conditions of their workplace in this industry.  We hold a regular 650 workers meeting, where social service workers from a variety of places come together to discuss common issues at their workplace, and find common ground across the industry.

If you are interested in learning more about 650 organizing,  you can contact our branch by emailing portland.iww@gmail.com or calling (503) 231-5488.  Ask to be put in touch with a branch Delegate working in this area.  Also visit our Getting Involved page for more information.