Ross's monthly of protest, personality and progress. (Melbourne : Robert Samuel Ross, 1916-[1923])

The IWW (Industrial Workers of the World) often referred to as the "Wobblies", were founded in Chicago in 1905. They opposed the American Federation of Labor on the grounds that the earlier organisation accepted capitalism and, because they were formed by craft unions, did not represent non-skilled workers. They promoted the idea of "One big union". The IWW line on World War I was that it was a capitalist war and America should not become involved.

IWW spread quickly to Australia and by 1907 there were cells active in most states. They campaigned against the war, and in particular against conscription, in fact against all kinds of recruiting. When Thomas Barker, the editor of Direct Action, was imprisoned the IWW in Sydney, they began to utter counterfeit £5 notes in an attempt to wreck the Australian economy.

Their campaigns also included arson and when a policeman was shot and killed in NSW, two of their members were found guilty and hung, in December 1916. The organisation was banned in August 1917. Twelve of their members were still in jail for offences such as sedition, committed during the anti-recruiting agitation, and there were continuing representations made to have their cases reviewed. The ALP, when it came to power in 1920, instituted a Royal Commission. The findings were that some of the men were guilty, while others were not, but most were released.

The IWW's style of revolutionary industrial unionism proved unpalatable in Australia, although Bob Ross in his newspaper, Ross's monthly was still pushing the "One big union" concept in the 1920s, as can be seen from the cartoon on the front page of the issue for 9 June 1923.