April 14, 1812
– There was a Luddite food riot in Sheffield, England, in which mostly
women and boys seized potatoes and vegetables and attacked a militia
arms store. (From the Daily Bleed)
Currency Issued by Limerick Soviet, 1919
April 14, 1919 –
In Limerick, Ireland, a General Strike was in full force against the
British military occupation. The workers ran the city as a soviet,
printing their own newspaper, issuing their own currency, and regulating
food supply to prevent profiteering and keep prices below market. (From
the Daily Bleed)
April 14, 1930 –
Over 100 Mexican and Filipino farm workers were arrested for union
activities in Imperial Valley, CA, with 8 being convicted of “criminal
syndicalism.” (From The Unionist and Workday Minnesota)
February 19, 1855 – Bread riots occurred in Liverpool. (From the Daily Bleed)
Bread and Roses, sung by Joan Baez
February 19, 1912—During the Bread & Roses Strike in Lawrence, MA, 200
police drew their clubs and went after 100 women picketers, knocking
them to the ground and beating them. Big Bill Haywood from the IWW urged
women not to picket. An Italian woman suggests responded: “All man,
boy stay home, sleep. Only woman, girl on picket line tomorrow morning.
Soldier & policeman no beat woman, girl. You see, I got big belly,
she too got big belly. Policeman no beat us." However, the next
morning, the women were beaten so badly that the Italian woman quoted
above and another pregnant striker lost their babies & almost died. (From the Daily Bleed)
Joseph Caruso, Joseph J. Ettor (center), and Arturo Giovannitti, in handcuffs, awaiting trial for Lawrence Strike, Wikipedia
February 19, 1948
– Joe Ettor died on this date. Ettor was an IWW union organizer, who
helped spearhead the Lawrence Bread & Roses Strike of 1912. "If the
workers of the world want to win, all they have to do is recognize their
own solidarity. They have nothing to do but fold their arms and the
world will stop. The workers are more powerful with their hands in their
pockets than all the property of the capitalists. As long as the
workers keep their hands in their pockets, the capitalists cannot put
theirs there. With passive resistance, with the workers absolutely
refusing to move, lying absolutely silent, they are more powerful than
all the weapons and instruments that the other side has for attack."
(From the Daily Bleed)
February 19, 1972 – The longest ILWU strikeended on this date. (From the Daily Bleed)
February 19, 1986 – The Farm Labor Organizing Committee signed an agreement with Campbell Soup, ending a seven-year-old boycott. (From the Daily Bleed)
February 19, 1990 - After a 10-month strike, rank-and-file miners at the Pittston Coal Co. ratified a new contract. Ninety-eight
miners and a minister occupied a Pittston Coal plant in Carbo,
Virginia, inaugurating the year-long strike. While a one month Soviet
coal strike dominated the U.S. media, the year-long Pittston strike
received almost no media coverage. (From Workday Minnesota and the Daily Bleed)
February 19, 1997
– 1,200 rallied in support of the striking musicians union, forcing the
cancellation of the opening night Disney production of "Beauty &
the Beast" at 5th Ave. Theater in Seattle, Washington. (From the Daily Bleed)
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)
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)
April 14, 1812 – There was a Luddite food riot in Sheffield, England, in which mostly women and boys seized potatoes and vegetables and attacked a militia arms store. (From the Daily Bleed)
Currency Issued by Limerick Soviet, 1919
April 14, 1919 – In Limerick, Ireland, a General Strike was in full force against the British military occupation. The workers ran the city as a soviet, printing their own newspaper, issuing their own currency, and regulating food supply to prevent profiteering and keep prices below market. (From the Daily Bleed)
April 14, 1930 – Over 100 Mexican and Filipino farm workers were arrested for union activities in Imperial Valley, CA, with 8 being convicted of “criminal syndicalism.” (From The Unionist and Workday Minnesota)
February 19, 1855 – Bread riots occurred in Liverpool. (From the Daily Bleed)
Bread and Roses, sung by Joan Baez
February 19, 1912—During the Bread & Roses Strike in Lawrence, MA, 200 police drew their clubs and went after 100 women picketers, knocking them to the ground and beating them. Big Bill Haywood from the IWW urged women not to picket. An Italian woman suggests responded: “All man, boy stay home, sleep. Only woman, girl on picket line tomorrow morning. Soldier & policeman no beat woman, girl. You see, I got big belly, she too got big belly. Policeman no beat us." However, the next morning, the women were beaten so badly that the Italian woman quoted above and another pregnant striker lost their babies & almost died. (From the Daily Bleed)
Joseph Caruso, Joseph J. Ettor (center), and Arturo Giovannitti, in handcuffs, awaiting trial for Lawrence Strike, Wikipedia
February 19, 1948 – Joe Ettor died on this date. Ettor was an IWW union organizer, who helped spearhead the Lawrence Bread & Roses Strike of 1912. "If the workers of the world want to win, all they have to do is recognize their own solidarity. They have nothing to do but fold their arms and the world will stop. The workers are more powerful with their hands in their pockets than all the property of the capitalists. As long as the workers keep their hands in their pockets, the capitalists cannot put theirs there. With passive resistance, with the workers absolutely refusing to move, lying absolutely silent, they are more powerful than all the weapons and instruments that the other side has for attack." (From the Daily Bleed)
February 19, 1972 – The longest ILWU strikeended on this date. (From the Daily Bleed)
February 19, 1986 – The Farm Labor Organizing Committee signed an agreement with Campbell Soup, ending a seven-year-old boycott. (From the Daily Bleed)
February 19, 1990 - After a 10-month strike, rank-and-file miners at the Pittston Coal Co. ratified a new contract. Ninety-eight miners and a minister occupied a Pittston Coal plant in Carbo, Virginia, inaugurating the year-long strike. While a one month Soviet coal strike dominated the U.S. media, the year-long Pittston strike received almost no media coverage. (From Workday Minnesota and the Daily Bleed)
February 19, 1997 – 1,200 rallied in support of the striking musicians union, forcing the cancellation of the opening night Disney production of "Beauty & the Beast" at 5th Ave. Theater in Seattle, Washington. (From the Daily Bleed)
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 the Daily 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)
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. (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)
April 14, 1812 – There was a Luddite food riot in Sheffield, England, in which mostly women and boys seized potatoes and vegetables and attacked a militia arms store. (From the Daily Bleed)
Currency Issued by Limerick Soviet, 1919
April 14, 1919 – In Limerick, Ireland, a General Strike was in full force against the British military occupation. The workers ran the city as a soviet, printing their own newspaper, issuing their own currency, and regulating food supply to prevent profiteering and keep prices below market. (From the Daily Bleed)
April 14, 1930 – Over 100 Mexican and Filipino farm workers were arrested for union activities in Imperial Valley, CA, with 8 being convicted of “criminal syndicalism.” (From The Unionist and Workday Minnesota)
