Friday, September 14, 2012

Today in Labor History—September 14



September 14, 1918 - Labor leader and Socialist Eugene V. Debs was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for opposing World War I. During his sentencing he said “. . . while there is a lower class I am in it; while there is a criminal element, I am of it; while there is a soul in prison, I am not free . . .” While in prison, Debs became the first person to run for U.S. president while behind bars, winning nearly 1 million votes. (From Workday Minnesota)

September 14, 1930 – More than 100 Mexican and Filipino farmworkers were arrested for union activities in the Imperial Valley, California. (From theDaily Bleed)

September 14, 1959 - Congress passed the Landrum-Griffin Act, which strengthened the union-busting Taft-Hartley Act and further restricted union activity. (From Workday Minnesota)

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