“wherever there are Punjabi immigrants in Britain, there is an Indian Workers Association with an impressive membership”
John (1969:1)
This archive collects material related to the Indian Workers’ Association (Great Britain), with material ranging from the 1960s to the present day. It has been produced through a collaboration between IWA(GB) and Northumbria University. Materials include meeting minutes, working papers, newspaper articles and posters. Archives are always partial and this one is no exception – the materials have been (inevitably selectively) saved by members of the Indian Workers Association, and (again inevitably) represent partial stories and histories. The creation of this archive acknowledges the complexity of the IWA(GB) as an organisation. The material in this archive comes mainly from IWA(GB) in Southall and the national IWA(GB). It is divided into different themes which can be viewed using the menu above. There will inevitably be a vast raft of organisational material that is outside the reach of this collection. Please do get in touch if there is material you would like to add to the collection.
Originally formed in the 1930s in connection with the Indian independence movement, the IWA(GB) was re-established in (a very different guise) in the 1950s, stimulated by migration to Great Britain from Punjab, especially the districts of Jallandar and Hoshiarpur. The IWA(GB) became increasingly concerned with worker rights and working conditions in the 1950s. IWAs were secular in nature, open to anyone of Indian origin and had links with various factions of the Communist Party of India, although it is clear that many ‘rank and file’ members were not members of the party . Local branches were centralised in 1958 producing a central executive committee with affiliated local associations remaining. In the 1960s, tensions and splits occurred in the organisation producing different IWA formations operating simultaneously. It is key to note that despite these differences all IWAs have a shared history and concern with racism and discrimination.
The first constitution adopted in 1958 details the aims of the association, including to safeguard and improve the lives of Indian workers, to fight against all forms of discrimination and promote the cause of friendship, peace and freedom of all countries. Their activities included social and welfare work, responses to anti-racist and anti-immigration legislation, workplace discrimination, the formation of wider groups and alliances working towards these aims and public meetings to raise awareness of issues of concern, which continues today.
More information on the activities of the IWA(GB) today can be found here: www.iwagb.co.uk