First published in February 1982 as the voice of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) Australian General Organising Committee, Rebel Worker's stated aim was to assist the IWW in creating 'a free and equal society' through direct action. Initially describing itself as the 'paper of the Australian IWW,' the masthead was changed in 1983 to the 'anarcho-syndicalist paper' in order to reflect its takeover by the Anarcho-Syndicalist Federation (ASF).
Rebel Worker, which celebrated its 30th year of publication in 2012, was published out of Jura Books, Sydney, between 1982 and 2013. Differences in opinion between the Jura Books Collective and the ASF led to it being relocated to a premises of its own.
Although the content of each issue focused primarily on political issues, Rebel Worker occasionally included reviews and critiques of books, film and theatre.
