In November 1910 the ISEL was founded at two-day conference in Manchester, allegedly attended by 200 delegates representing 60,000 workers.
The period from 1910 to 1914 was marked by labour unrest including the 1911 Liverpool general transport strike and the Dublin lock-out.
In November 1912, the ISEL held a two conferences with a claimed attendance of 235 delegates representing 100,000 workers.
Bowman, an important theoretician in the group, turned to the Industrial Workers of the World, winning the ISEL to a dual unionist position.
Those in the group opposed to this line left to form the Industrial Democracy League, and the ISEL dissolved soon after.