Ya Know... For Every Person Accusing Some Of Us Of Being "Purists", I Would Love To Know...

[WillyT]

71. What history books are YOU reading?

American Bloody Labor History - Never Forget
CWA Local 1103
Posted On: Nov 06, 2010 (11:35:19)

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American Labor History is penned with bloody ink. Even considering Labor’s crowning political/legislative achievement: the 1935 the National Labor Relations Act (wagner act) we still battle to this very Labor Day to hold on to our decent wages and benefits. Today employers do not point guns at us or beat us in the streets, today Corporate America uses its billions of dollars of profits from the work of our backs to influence the political process to undermine our livelihood.

This Labor Day take a moment to look back on our bloody history, and know we must be ever diligent everyday to fight for our rights – on the Picket Line, on the Shop Floor and at the Ballot Box. Vote for CWA endorsed candidates, protect our jobs for the future and never go back to our bloody past.

1800 – Strikers found guilty of conspiracy by acting collectively to raise wages. (Commonweath v Pullis)

1850 – Militia turn on railroad strikers in Portge NY. 2 strikers killed many injured

1870 - Tompkins Square Riot NYC, Mounted police charge unemployed men, women and children demonstrating in park beating them with Billy clubs

Battle of Viaduct - The Great Railroad Strike was a general strike to protest cut in wages in which federal troops were called in 30 workers were killed during the protest.

1885 – Ten Coal mining activists are hung in Pennsylvania (Molly Maguires)

1886 – Great Southwest Railroad Strike pinkerton detectives called in to beat strikers. Missouri and Texas bring in State Militia.

*** Bay View Tragedy – 2000 workers in Milwaukee Wisconsin strike to denounce the ten-hour workday they are fired on by troops. ***

1887 – Louisiana Militia shot down 35 unarmed black sugar workers striking for a dollar a day wage.

1892 – Homestead strike pinkerton guards open fire on Carnegie Mill Steel strikers in Pennsylvania

1894 Pullman General Strike 14,000 federal troops called out. 34 American Railway Union members were shot and killed.

1896 – Leadville Colorado state militia sent out to put down the mine strike

1897 – Lattimer Massacre, Luzem county sheriff’s posse kills 9 strikers for refusing to disperse in coalmine strike.

1900 – Anthracite coalmine strike 14 killed by scabherders

1903 – Mary Harris “Mother Jones” leads child workers to demand 55 hour work week.

1904 - Colorado militia kills 6 strikers at Dunnville mine

1911 – Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire, 147 workers mostly women die working in sweatshop conditions with bolted doors.

1913 – New Orleans, 3 maritime workers shot when striking against United Fruit Company

1914 Ludlow Massacre, state militia attacks Union tent camp with machine guns and sets afire killing 19 including children.

1915 – Joe Hill union organizer is hung on trumped up charges in Salt Lake City

1916 – Everett Washington, Everett mills hires strike breakers to beat picketers on docks while local police refuse to intervene.

1917 – Bisbee Deportation, 1185 workers are deported by Arizona Sheriff in manure laden train cars to the New Mexico desert for union activity.

1919- Fannie Sellins United Mine Worker organizer is gunned down in Brackenridge Pennsylvania

Wesley Everest IWW organizer lynched in Centralia Washington.

1920 – Battle of Matewan, Detectives hired by mining company enter into gun battle with striking miners.

1922- Herrin Massacre, 36 killed during coalmine strike.

1923 – Maritime Strike, San Pedro California IWW Union Hall raided and demolished

1927- IWW coal miners massacred while marching for work conditions in company town of Serene Colorado

1929 – Loray Mill Strike, National Guard called out in North Carolina to end strike

1930 – Imperial Valley California, 100 farm workers arrested for unionizing activities they were convicted of “Criminal Syndicalism”

1931 – Harlan County Kentucky, Striking miners are attacked by armed men.

1932 – Dearborn Michigan, local police kill striking workers at the Ford plant.

1933 – Pixley California, Strikebreakers kill 4 workers in the cotton pickers strike

1934- Toledo Ohio, National Guardsmen open fire killing 2 and wounding 200 strikers.

1937- River Rouge Michigan, GM guards beat UAW leaders at plant location.

Chicago Republic Steel Plant, local police kill 10 wounds 30 in Memorial Day Massacre

1946- US Navy seized oil refineries to break nationwide strike

1948 – UAW Labor Leader Walter Reuther is shot.

1952 – Truman orders US Army to seize nation’s steel mills to avert a strike.

1970 – Nixon declares state of national emergency over first post office national strike in 195 years

1980 – Ronal Regan fires thousands of Air Traffic Controllers for going on strike of the PATCO union.

1989- Valhalla NY, 21 years ago Gerry Horgan is runned down and killed by a scab while fighting for Medical Benefits on CWA Local 1103's picket line. CWA to this day wears red every Thursday for Gerry. We will never forget.

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