Today in Labor History—June 15

June 15, 1381 – Rebel leader Wat Tyler (1350-1381) was executed, Smithfields, London. (From the Daily Bleed)

Aftermath of the first Battle of Bud Dajo

June 15, 1913 – U.S. troops finally ended the Moro Uprising (1899-1913) in the Philippines, with the extermination of 500 men, women and children. The Moros had refused to submit to American colonization and rose up against the colonialists. (From the Daily Bleed)

June 15, 1947 – The CIO expelled the Fur and Leather Workers and the American Communications Association for "communist" activities. (From the Daily Bleed)

June 15, 1950 – As part of their Cold War hysteria, the Senate opened an investigation of 3,500 alleged "sex perverts" (homosexuals) in the federal government, somehow overlooking their cross dressing darling, J. Edgar Hoover. (From the Daily Bleed)

June 15, 1950 – A General Strike against apartheid began in South Africa. (From the Daily Bleed)

Today in Labor History--April 10

April 10, 1919--Mexican troops assassinated Emiliano Zapata. (From the Daily Bleed)

A Hooverville near Portland, OR

April 10, 1941--Seattle's Hooverville was burnt to the ground. Set up by people impoverished in the Great Depression to protest the policies of President Hoover, Seattle's Hooverville encompassed 25 city blocks by 1941. (From the Daily Bleed)

April 10, 1947--FBI agents visited Ronald Reagan (then president of the Screen Actors Guild) and his wife Jane Wyman, accusing them of belonging to a communist front group. To prove his loyalty, Reagan agreed to become a secret informer and went on to have a long and illustrious career as an anti-communist. (From the Daily Bleed)

Today in Labor History—December 9

Kropotkin, c1900 (from Wikipedia, public domain)

December 9, 1842 – Prince Peter Kropotkin, geographer and anarchist communist, was born on this date in Moscow. (From the Daily Bleed)

December 9, 1869 – The Knights of Labor was founded on this date in Philadelphia as a secret society open to all members of the producing classes except "parasites" like stockbrokers, gamblers and lawyers. The Knights were one of the most important labor organizations of the late 1800s, reaching a membership of 700,000 by 1886. While other unions were fighting for a 10-hour work day, the Knights were demanding a 8-hour day, as well as an end to child and convict labor. They were also one of the earliest labor organizations to accept blacks and women. Yet they supported the Chinese Exclusion Act and participated in anti-Chinese riots. (From the Daily Bleed and Wikipedia)

December 9, 1953 – General Electric announced that it would fire all Communist employees.

December 9, 1990 - Lech Walesa, leader of the Solidarity trade union, was elected president of Poland, demonstrating that even a labor agitator can become a member of the ruling elite, so long as he promotes free market capitalism. (It doesn’t hurt if he is also a rabid anti-communist, anti-abortionist, homophobic nationalist).

Today in Labor History—August 13

August 13, 1889 – London Dock Workers', led by Ben Tillett and John Burns, launched a strike. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 13, 1917 – A General Strike began in Spain. (From the Daily Bleed)

Portrait of Carlos Cortez by Miguel Cortez

 August 13, 1923— Carlos Cortez, Chicano Wobbly, artist and activist was born. He spent two years in prison for refusing to fight in World War II. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 13, 1936 - John Frey, president of the Metal Trades Department of the American Federation of Labor, told the House Un-American Activities Committee that the Committee for Industrial Organization (CIO), was dominated by Communists. His testimony was the beginning of a government-sponsored blacklist and the use of "red scares" to destroy militancy and discredit leaders of the labor movement. (From Workday Minnesota)

Today in Labor History—June 15

June 15, 1381 – Rebel leader Wat Tyler (1350-1381) was executed, Smithfields, London. (From the Daily Bleed)

Aftermath of the first Battle of Bud Dajo

June 15, 1913 – U.S. troops finally ended the Moro Uprising (1899-1913) in the Philippines, with the extermination of 500 men, women and children. The Moros had refused to submit to American colonization and rose up against the colonialists. (From the Daily Bleed)

June 15, 1947 – The CIO expelled the Fur and Leather Workers and the American Communications Association for "communist" activities. (From the Daily Bleed)

June 15, 1950 – As part of their Cold War hysteria, the Senate opened an investigation of 3,500 alleged "sex perverts" (homosexuals) in the federal government, somehow overlooking their cross dressing darling, J. Edgar Hoover. (From the Daily Bleed)

June 15, 1950 – A General Strike against apartheid began in South Africa. (From the Daily Bleed)

Today in Labor History—December 9

Kropotkin, c1900 (from Wikipedia, public domain)

December 9, 1842 – Prince Peter Kropotkin, geographer and anarchist communist, was born on this date in Moscow. (From the Daily Bleed)

December 9, 1869 – The Knights of Labor was founded on this date in Philadelphia as a secret society open to all members of the producing classes except "parasites" like stockbrokers, gamblers and lawyers. The Knights were one of the most important labor organizations of the late 1800s, reaching a membership of 700,000 by 1886. While other unions were fighting for a 10-hour work day, the Knights were demanding a 8-hour day, as well as an end to child and convict labor. They were also one of the earliest labor organizations to accept blacks and women. Yet they supported the Chinese Exclusion Act and participated in anti-Chinese riots. (From the Daily Bleed and Wikipedia)

December 9, 1953 – General Electric announced that it would fire all Communist employees.

December 9, 1990 - Lech Walesa, leader of the Solidarity trade union, was elected president of Poland, demonstrating that even a labor agitator can become a member of the ruling elite, so long as he promotes free market capitalism. (It doesn’t hurt if he is also a rabid anti-communist, anti-abortionist, homophobic nationalist).

Today in Labor History—August 13

August 13, 1889 – London Dock Workers', led by Ben Tillett and John Burns, launched a strike. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 13, 1917 – A General Strike began in Spain. (From the Daily Bleed)

Portrait of Carlos Cortez by Miguel Cortez

 August 13, 1923— Carlos Cortez, Chicano Wobbly, artist and activist was born. He spent two years in prison for refusing to fight in World War II. (From the Daily Bleed)

August 13, 1936 - John Frey, president of the Metal Trades Department of the American Federation of Labor, told the House Un-American Activities Committee that the Committee for Industrial Organization (CIO), was dominated by Communists. His testimony was the beginning of a government-sponsored blacklist and the use of "red scares" to destroy militancy and discredit leaders of the labor movement. (From Workday Minnesota)

Today in Labor History—June 15

June 15, 1381 – Rebel leader Wat Tyler (1350-1381) was executed, Smithfields, London. (From the Daily Bleed)

Aftermath of the first Battle of Bud Dajo

June 15, 1913 – U.S. troops finally ended the Moro Uprising (1899-1913) in the Philippines, with the extermination of 500 men, women and children. The Moros had refused to submit to American colonization and rose up against the colonialists. (From the Daily Bleed)

June 15, 1947 – The CIO expelled the Fur and Leather Workers and the American Communications Association for "communist" activities. (From the Daily Bleed)

June 15, 1950 – As part of their Cold War hysteria, the Senate opened an investigation of 3,500 alleged "sex perverts" (homosexuals) in the federal government, somehow overlooking their cross dressing darling, J. Edgar Hoover. (From the Daily Bleed)

June 15, 1950 – A General Strike against apartheid began in South Africa. (From the Daily Bleed)