As a legal political party, the Workers Party accepted affiliation from independent socialist groups such as the African Blood Brotherhood, the Jewish Socialist Federation and the Workers' Council of the United States.

In the meantime, the underground Communist Party, with overlapping membership, conducted political agitation.

Both the WPA and the SPA engaged in separate labor party efforts, prior to the presidential election of 1924.

The WPA succeeded in dominating the national Farmer–Labor Party, but that organization quickly returned to its constituent parts.

The convention for the establishment of the party took place on December 23–26, 1921 at the Labor Temple on East 84th Street, New York with 150 delegates.