Labor history, August 13, 1892

[blindpig]

Today in labor history: August 13, 1892: Grundy County, TN, miners tear down the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railway Company’s stockade — which housed the company’s convict workers — at Tracy City. In response to similar actions over the next few days, the governor dispatched 583 militiamen; hundreds of miners were arrested. The state began the practice of leasing its convicts (75% of whom were African-American) to companies willing to pay for the inmates’ housing in exchange for their labor in 1866.

http://todayinlaborhistory.tumblr.co...13-1892-grundy

The more things change.....

[blindpig]

On this day in1935 FDR signed the first Social Security Act into law. In the aftermath of the Great Depression during which poverty encompassed 60 percent of the senior population, Social Security was a major plank of Roosevelt's "New Deal." The law was passed after an intense period of struggle in which the trade unions, the left generally and the Communist Party played a significant role. In addition part of the campaign for Social Security was the establishment of Townsend Clubs, named after Dr. Francis E. Townsend a senior citizen activist who campaigned for such a program. Over 5 million seniors joined the clubs. Roosevelt called for the legislation in his State of the Union address in January 1935. Today Republicans want to privatize the program.

http://www.thebellforum.com/showthread.php?t=79274

Yes indeed, and the President has helpfully put that program on the table.

Whose side is he on?

[Dhalgren]

Whose side is he on?

He is on the side that he and all Democrats have always been on - and it ain't ours...

[blindpig]

Today in Labor History—August 15

August 15, 1906 – W.E.B. DuBois demanded equal citizenship rights for African-Americans during the second meeting of the Niagara Movement, saying, "We will not be satisfied to take one jot or little less than our full manhood." (From the Daily Bleed)


August 15, 1913 – A General Strike began in Dublin. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 15, 1918 --The American 27th Infantry landed in Vladivostok to join a Japanese-initiated attack against Bolshevist forces. (From the Daily Bleed)

U.S. troops parading in Vladivostock


Bolsheviks killed at Vladivostock by Czechoslovak legions

August 15, 1963 – 170 women staged a sit-in to protest employment discrimination by bank, E. St. Louis, Illinois. (From the Daily Bleed)

http://modeducation.blogspot.com/201...august-15.html

[blindpig]

Today in Labor History—August 17, 1985

August 17, 1861 – Coal miners in Australia refused to accept a 20% wage cut and walk out. (From the Daily Bleed)


August- 17, 1910 – Women strikers broke through police lines and demolished a New York garment factory that tried to open in defiance of a strike. Garment workers were toiling as much as 15 hours per day for as little as 50 cents. They tossed sewing machines out the windows and smashed furniture. The industry-wide strike had begun in June and quickly spread, with 60,000 striking up and down the east coast. (From the Daily Bleed)


August 17, 1918 – 95 Wobblies (members of the IWW—Industrial Workers of the World) were sent to prison for up to 20 years for resisting the war. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 17, 1985 – Members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) in Austin, Minnesota, went on strike against Hormel, makers of SPAM. They ignored the advice of their national union and struck anyway. Workers continued to strike even after the company tried to reopen the plant with replacement workers, including some union members who crossed the picket lines. After ten months the strike ended, with no gains for union members. (From Shmoop Labor History)

http://modeducation.blogspot.com/201...t-17-1985.html

[blindpig]

Today in Labor History—August 20

August 20, 1619 – The first group of 20 Africans slaves landed at Jamestown, Virginia. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 20, 1830 – The first Negro convention was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

August 20, 1866 – The short-lived National Labor Union (U.S.) was formed on this date and called for the 8-hour workday. The union, led by William H. Sylvis, was the first American labor union to unite skilled and unskilled workers (preceding the Industrial Workers of the World by nearly 40 years). At its height, the union had 640,000 members.

August 20, 1886 – Sentences were handed down on this date against The Haymarket defendants. All were found guilty despite the obvious innocence of most of them. None were even present at the scene of the bombing at Haymarket Square, Chicago, where activists had been organizing for the 8-hour day. Seven of the eight defendants (George Engel, Samuel Fielden, Adolph Fischer, Louis Lingg, Albert Parsons, Michael Schwab and August Spies) were condemned to death. Oscar Neebe was sent to prison for 15 years. The hangings occurred on November 11, 1887.

August 20, 1898 – Fourteen weeks after beginning a walkout, the Amalgamated Woodworkers Union of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, ended its strike.


August 20, 1904 – Miners seized the town of Cripple Creek, Colorado, and deported officials.

August 20, 1909 – The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) was engaged in a free-speech fight in Fresno, California.

August 20, 1914 – An office for the Parrot Mine in Butte, Montana was dynamited on this date. In March 1912, Amalgamated Copper fired 500 miners, accusing them of being Socialists. In December they imposed a blacklist to exclude workers with affiliations to leftist and labor organizations. Pinkerton and Thiel detective agencies infiltrated the union to mark agitators and provoke violence in order to weaken the union.

http://modeducation.blogspot.com/201...august-20.html

[blindpig]

August 21, 1752 – French radical priest Jacques Roux (1752-1794) was born in Charente, France. He participated in the French Revolution and fought for a classless society and the abolition of private property, and helped to radicalize the Parisian working class. He became a leader of the far left faction Enrages and was elected to the Paris Commune in 1791. He demanded that food be available for everyone and argued that the wealthy should be executed if they hoarded it. (From the Daily Bleed and Wikipedia)

August 21, 1831 - Nat Turner launched a slave revolt in Virginia that lasted two days and resulted in the deaths of 60 whites dead. In response, scores of African-Americans were lynched, including many who did not participate in the revolt. (From Workday Minnesota)

August 21, 1893 – Emma Goldman led a march of a 1,000 people to Union Square, where, told the crowd that workers have a right to take bread if they are hungry and to demonstrate "before the palaces of the rich." She was arrested the following week because her speech was “incendiary.” (From the Daily Bleed)

August 21, 1920 – Ongoing violence by coal operators and their paid goons in the southern coalfields of West Virginia led to a three hour gun battle between striking miners and guards that left six dead. 500 Federal troops were sent in not only to quell the fighting, but to ensure that scabs were able to get to and from the mines. A General Strike was threatened if the troops did not cease their strikebreaking activities. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 21, 1952 – A strike began against International Harvester by the United Electrical Workers. (From the Daily Bleed)

http://modeducation.blogspot.com/201...august-21.html

[Kid of the Black Hole]

Pretty good day in labor history

[Dhalgren]

I love this thread.

[blindpig]

I love this thread.

The source I've been using, Modern Education, has more than most providing this service. The source they often use, 'The Bleed', appears to be an anarchist site is, shall we say, ecletic.

[blindpig]

August 22, 1791 -- Encouraged by the French and American revolutions, 100,000 Haitian slaves revolted, led by Toussaint Louverture. They first attacked the French, and then went after Spanish and English troops, winning their freedom in 1793. In 1804, Haiti became first free black country in the world. The US refused recognition of Haiti until 1865 as a result of pressure from Southern slaveholders.

August 22, 1893 – Sam Gompers and other trade unionists met with New York mayor Gilroy pressings for a municipal public works program to relieve unemployment.

August 22, 1917 – Italian police opened fire on protesters against the war hunger, most of whom were women. The next day, a General Strike was declared. On the 24th, a state of siege was declared, but the strike continued until the 26th. Police violence during the strike resulted in the deaths of 60 people. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 22, 1947 – A two-month strike by United Packing Workers began in Canada. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 22, 1978 -- Sandinistas captured the Nicaraguan National Palace launching the Sandinista revolution. (From the Daily Bleed)

http://modeducation.blogspot.com/201...august-22.html

[brother cakes]

i had no idea august was such a fertile month.

[blindpig]

Today in Labor History—August 23


August 23, 1900 – Folk and protest singer Malvina Reynolds was born in San Francisco, California.
Reynolds was denied a diploma by the city’s elite Lowell High School because her parents were opposed to US participation in World War I. She was perhaps best know for her satire of suburbia, "Little Boxes" which was most likely inspired by the tacky sprawl of house in Daly City, just outside of San Francisco.

August 23, 1909 – IWW strikers boarded a streetcar in McKees Rock, Pennsylvania looking for scabs. A deputy sheriff shot at them and was killed in the return fire. A gun battle ensued that killed 11 people.

August 23, 1917 - Black soldiers in Houston who were fed up with Jim Crow laws and ongoing harassment from whites decided to fight back. The gun battle left 17 dead and result in 64 soldiers being tried for murder and mutiny. 13 got death and 40 got life imprisonment. (From Workday Minnesota)



August 23, 1927 - Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were executed on this date in Massachusetts, despite their innocence and the outpouring of international support for their release. (From Workday Minnesota)




August 23, 1933 – Vigilantes assaulted 200 migrant workers in Yakima, Washington. (From the Daily Bleed)

http://modeducation.blogspot.com/201...august-23.html

[blindpig]

Today in Labor History—August 24

August 24, 1827-- The Mechanics Gazette, America's first labor newspaper, was published in Philadelphia. (From Workday Minnesota)

August 24, 1930 – Two were killed in Indochina in riots commemorating the third anniversary of the Sacco and Vanzetti execution. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 24, 1970 – The UFW (United Farm Workers) lettuce strike began. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 24, 1979 – A strike began in the Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands, which lasted for three weeks. 13,000 men participated despite the fact that their official trade unions did not. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 24, 1980 – The Solidarnosc trade union movement was founded in Gdansk, Poland. (From the Daily Bleed)

http://modeducation.blogspot.com/201...august-24.html

[Kid of the Black Hole]

August 24, 1980 – The Solidarnosc trade union movement was founded in Gdansk, Poland. (From the Daily Bleed)

Well, I guess you did say eclectic.

[blindpig]

Well, I guess you did say eclectic.

Yeah, was gonna ignore it but figured ya gotta report the bad with the good.

[blindpig]

Today in Labor History—August 25

August 25, 1775 – Two thousand Liverpool seamen ignored the reading of the Riot Act to free nine of their fellow workers who had been imprisoned for wrecking a ship after being paid short wages. Workers de-rigged all ships in port, making them unable to sail and levied money from local merchants. Aften several demonstrators were killed at the Liverpool Exchange, they raided warehouses and gunsmiths for arms and seized two cannons from a whaling vessel. (From the Daily bleed)


August 25, 1819 – Allen Pinkerton was born, founder of the Pinkerton private police force, whose strike breaking detectives (Pinkertons, or 'Pinks') gave us the word 'fink' as they slaughtered dozens of workers in various labor struggles. (From the Daily bleed)


August 25, 1921 – West Virginia Governor Morgan asked President Warren Harding for Federal troops and military aircraft to suppress the United Mine Workers’ militant actions. (From the Daily bleed)


August 25, 1925 -- African American labor organizer A. Phillip Randolph founded the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. (From the Daily bleed)

August 25, 1937 – The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters signed its first contract with Pullman. (From the Daily bleed)

August 25, 1950 –President Harry Truman ordered the U.S. Army to seize all the nation's railroads to prevent a General Strike. The railroads were kept under federal control for two years. (From the Daily bleed)

August 25, 1968 – The Battle of Lincoln Park occurred during the Democratic Convention in Chicago. Roughly 10,000 demonstrators battled approximately 11,000 riot police, 6,000 National Guard, 7,500 US army troops and 1,000 FBI, CIA & army/navy intelligence services agents. (From the Daily bleed)


http://modeducation.blogspot.com/201...august-25.html

(Chicago photo added)

[blindpig]

Sunday, August 26, 2012Today in Labor History—August 26
August 26, 1919 – United Mine Worker (UMW) organizer Fannie Sellins was gunned down by company bought sheriffs during a Pennsylvania coal strike along with Joseph Starzeleski. Sellins had helped organize the garment workers before moving on to help the coal miners. (From the Daily Bleed)


August 26, 1935 – The United Auto Workers was founded, with Francis Dillon appointed as president. (From the Daily Bleed)


http://modeducation.blogspot.com/201...august-26.html

[blindpig]

Today in Labor History—August 27


August 27, 1917 -- The IWW was made illegal in Australia and their membership rolls were made available to employers, leading to widespread repression. Despite all this, the IWW helped lead the General Strike of 1917 (Click here for footage of the strike). (From the Daily Bleed)

August 27, 1934 – Filipino lettuce cutters and mainly white packing shed workers struck the powerful Salinas Valley growers and shippers, demanding union recognition & improved conditions. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 27, 1950-- President Truman ordered the U.S. army to seize all the railroads to prevent a General Strike. They were held by the military for the next two years. (From Workday Minnesota)

http://modeducation.blogspot.com/201...august-27.html

[blindpig]

Today in Labor History—August 28


August 28, 1918 – Big Bill Haywood and 14 other members of the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World) were sentenced to 20 years prison for draft obstruction. (From the Daily Bleed)


August 28, 1920 – West Virginia Governor Cornwell requested federal troops to guard the mines and protect scab labor during a strike by miners, resulting in rioting. (From the Daily Bleed)


August 28, 1933 – A Filipino Labor Union led a strike of 6,000 California lettuce workers demanding 40-45 cents an hour, union recognition and better working conditions. Striking white farm workers split from the Filipinos and accepted arbitration. The growers accused the Filipinos of being communists, while the highway patrol and armed vigilantes drove striking farmworkers off the farms. In September, vigilantes burned a camp of striking workers down to the ground. Police then raided their union headquarters in Salinas, arresting scores of strikers and their leaders. Despite the violence and police abuse, the strikers held out, eventually winning union recognition and 40 cents an hour wages. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 28, 1955 – Teenager Emmett Till was brutally murdered on this day in Money, Mississippi, for speaking "inappropriately" to a white woman. The brutality of the murder and the lack of justice for his family helped to mobilize opposition to segregation in America. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 28, 1963 - Martin Luther King, Jr., gave his "I have a dream . . ." speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. March organizers included Bayard Rustin of the AFL-CIO and UAW President Walter Reuther. (From Workday Minnesota) 250,000-500,000 people converge on the Lincoln Memorial

August 28, 1970 -- The UAW Local 1714 had its first wildcat strike lasting one day.
(From the Daily Bleed)

http://modeducation.blogspot.com/201...august-28.html