The Wobblies

A plain, song-filled oral history that lets old radicals speak for themselves, stirring and quietly sad.

Directed by

Deborah Shaffer, Stewart Bird

Genres

Documentary

Starring

Charles Rydell, Anthony Bouza, Roger Baldwin

Tagline

They were welded together by a vision we have forgotten... there has never been anything like them before or since.

Overview

Through oral histories, archival footage, photographs, and songs associated with the movement, "The Wobblies" tells the story of the Industrial Workers of the World, the radical union founded in Chicago in 1905 to organize workers across trades. Featuring interviews with aging Wobbly members alongside historical materials from early twentieth-century labor struggles, the film explores the union’s role in strikes, worker activism, and the broader fight for labor rights in the United States.

How it feels

Measured and needs your attention.

About

Class, power, justice, work

Content

Mild violence. No gore, sexual content or swearing.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Watch the trailer on YouTube (opens in a new tab)