April 12, 1900
– Birth of Florence Reece, an activist in the Harlan County, Kentucky,
coal strikes, and author of “Which Side Are You On?” The song was
written in 1931 during a UMW strike in which sheriff Blair led a gang of
thugs in a rampage of beating & murdering union leaders. Florence
wrote the song on an old wall calendar while her home was being
ransacked by Blair’s goons. (From the Daily Bleed and Workday Minnesota).
April 12, 1935
– 150,000 college students protested across the U.S. in the first
nationwide student strike against war. Between 1936, and 1939, the
movement mobilized at least 500,000 college students (almost 50% of all
American college students at the time) in annual one-hour strikes
against war. (From the Daily Bleed).
April 12, 1937
- The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Wagner Act (also known as the
National Labor Relations Act) which created the structure for collective
bargaining and rules for strikes and job actions. (From Workday Minnesota)
August 3, 1821 -- Uriah Stephens, founder of the Knights of Labor, was born in Cape May, New Jersey (1821-1882). (From the Daily Bleed)
August 3, 1886
– Labor activist and song writer Florence Reece was born. She had been
active in Harlan County, Kentucky coal strikes and penned the famed
labor song "Which Side Are You On?" The song was written in 1931
on an old wall calendar while Sheriff J.H. Blair was searching for her
husband and ransacking her home. Blair had led his gang of thugs on a
violent rampage, beating and murdering union leaders.
They say in Harlan Co.
There are no neutrals there
You'll either be a Union man
Or a thug for J.H. Blair.
August 3, 1894 – The Pullman strike was called off by the railway union after US troops intervened. (From the Daily Bleed)
Cavalry used against striking Pullman workers
August 3, 1913 –
Four died in the so-called "Wheatland riots" when police fired into a
crowd of California farmworkers trying to organize for better working
conditions. Two labor leaders, one of whom was not even present at the
massacre, were later convicted of murder for encouraging workers to
organize, which forced officials to shoot and kill. Conditions were
terrible with no water for the workers, who routinely contracted
dysentery, malaria and typhoid fever. When the Industrial Workers of the
World (IWW) had struck at the Durst hops farms in Wheatland,
California, armed county officials fired on a union meeting. An ensuing
gun fight left four dead, including the district attorney & sheriff.
(From the Daily Bleed)
August 3, 1949 – United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 893 won a strike at Vought. (From the Daily Bleed)
August 3, 1972
– The British government declared a state of emergency to allow troops
to replace striking longshoremen, forcing Britain's 42,000 striking dock
workers back to work. (From the Daily Bleed)
August 3, 1981 –
U.S. federal air traffic controllers began a nationwide strike after
their union, PATCO, rejected the government's final contract offer. Most
of the 13,000 strikers ignored orders to go back to work and were fired
on August 5 by President Reagan for participating in an illegal work
stoppage. Reagan's action – and the inability of the labor movement to
respond to the crisis – led to the rapid downhill spiral of unions. (From Workday Minnesota)
April 12, 1900 – Birth of Florence Reece, an activist in the Harlan County, Kentucky, coal strikes, and author of “Which Side Are You On?” The song was written in 1931 during a UMW strike in which sheriff Blair led a gang of thugs in a rampage of beating & murdering union leaders. Florence wrote the song on an old wall calendar while her home was being ransacked by Blair’s goons. (From the Daily Bleed and Workday Minnesota).
April 12, 1935 – 150,000 college students protested across the U.S. in the first nationwide student strike against war. Between 1936, and 1939, the movement mobilized at least 500,000 college students (almost 50% of all American college students at the time) in annual one-hour strikes against war. (From the Daily Bleed).
April 12, 1937 - The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Wagner Act (also known as the National Labor Relations Act) which created the structure for collective bargaining and rules for strikes and job actions. (From Workday Minnesota)
August 3, 1821 -- Uriah Stephens, founder of the Knights of Labor, was born in Cape May, New Jersey (1821-1882). (From the Daily Bleed)
August 3, 1886 – Labor activist and song writer Florence Reece was born. She had been active in Harlan County, Kentucky coal strikes and penned the famed labor song "Which Side Are You On?" The song was written in 1931 on an old wall calendar while Sheriff J.H. Blair was searching for her husband and ransacking her home. Blair had led his gang of thugs on a violent rampage, beating and murdering union leaders.
They say in Harlan Co.
There are no neutrals there
You'll either be a Union man
Or a thug for J.H. Blair.
August 3, 1894 – The Pullman strike was called off by the railway union after US troops intervened. (From the Daily Bleed)
Cavalry used against striking Pullman workers
August 3, 1913 – Four died in the so-called "Wheatland riots" when police fired into a crowd of California farmworkers trying to organize for better working conditions. Two labor leaders, one of whom was not even present at the massacre, were later convicted of murder for encouraging workers to organize, which forced officials to shoot and kill. Conditions were terrible with no water for the workers, who routinely contracted dysentery, malaria and typhoid fever. When the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) had struck at the Durst hops farms in Wheatland, California, armed county officials fired on a union meeting. An ensuing gun fight left four dead, including the district attorney & sheriff. (From the Daily Bleed)
August 3, 1949 – United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 893 won a strike at Vought. (From the Daily Bleed)
August 3, 1972 – The British government declared a state of emergency to allow troops to replace striking longshoremen, forcing Britain's 42,000 striking dock workers back to work. (From the Daily Bleed)
August 3, 1981 – U.S. federal air traffic controllers began a nationwide strike after their union, PATCO, rejected the government's final contract offer. Most of the 13,000 strikers ignored orders to go back to work and were fired on August 5 by President Reagan for participating in an illegal work stoppage. Reagan's action – and the inability of the labor movement to respond to the crisis – led to the rapid downhill spiral of unions. (From Workday Minnesota)
April 12, 1900 – Birth of Florence Reece, an activist in the Harlan County, Kentucky, coal strikes, and author of “Which Side Are You On?” The song was written in 1931 during a UMW strike in which sheriff Blair led a gang of thugs in a rampage of beating & murdering union leaders. Florence wrote the song on an old wall calendar while her home was being ransacked by Blair’s goons. (From the Daily Bleed andWorkday Minnesota).
April 12, 1935 – 150,000 college students protested across the U.S. in the first nationwide student strike against war. Between 1936, and 1939, the movement mobilized at least 500,000 college students (almost 50% of all American college students at the time) in annual one-hour strikes against war. (From the Daily Bleed).
April 12, 1937 - The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Wagner Act (also known as the National Labor Relations Act) which created the structure for collective bargaining and rules for strikes and job actions. (From Workday Minnesota)
