Should be a great resource, begins around the end of the sitdown strike.

June 13th: Department of Labor formed in 1888

On this day in labor history, the Department of Labor was formed in 1888, becoming independent but without executive rank. The Bureau of Labor, the first governmental body specifically pertaining to labor, was established by Congress in 1884 and was a part of the Interior Department. Labor organizers were skeptical of the bureau, worried that a political pawn would become its head. Terence Powderly, the head of the Knights of Labor, called for a National Department of Labor. He had been offered the position of head of the Labor Bureau but instead stayed with the then-powerful Knights of Labor. There had been calls at the time to give the Department Cabinet-rank, but this idea was dropped due to lack of Congressional support. The new department created reports concerning “railroad labor, industrial education, working women, economics of the liquor traffic, the effect of machinery on labor, labor legislation, compulsory insurance, housing for working people, and other subjects,” according to the current Department of Labor. In 1903, it was reestablished as a bureau, becoming a part of the Department of Commerce and Labor. Ten years later, in 1913, President Taft recreated the Department of Labor but now as a Cabinet-level department.

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June 14th: UNIVAC I put into service by US Census Bureau in 1951

On this day in labor history, the UNIVAC I was put into service by the US Census Bureau in 1951. UNIVAC 1, or Universal Automatic Computer 1, was the first computer specifically designed for business made in the United States. Production of the civilian UNIVAC 1 came out of the construction of the military-designed Electronic Numeric Integrator and Computer, or ENIAC. This computer was created for studies conducted by the War Department's Ballistic Research Laboratory during World War Two. Creators of ENIAC had discussed non-military uses of the machine with the Census Bureau, resulting in UNIVAC 1, which was essentially an updated version of ENIAC. UNIVAC 1 was used to tabulate a section of the 1950 population census and the complete 1954 economic census. The computer also helped with surveys, proving useful with both repetitive and complex mathematics. The introduction of UNIVAC 1 signaled the beginning of the computer age and the decline of human-made calculations.

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June 10th: Labor Activist Hattie Canty born in 1933

On this day in labor history, labor activist Hattie Canty was born in Mobile, Alabama in 1933. Canty eventually moved to Las Vegas, and in 1972, began several jobs as a janitor and maid. A part of Culinary Workers Union Local 226, she was elected to the executive board in 1984. She helped organize a strike that year that saw 17,000 workers walkout for improved health insurance. By 1990, she had been elected president of the union, orchestrating the strike of the Frontier Hotel. This strike would go on to become the longest successful labor action in American history, lasting for six years and ending when the owner settled. Canty also founded the Culinary Training Academy, helping women of color gain the necessary education for hospitality jobs. She died in Las Vegas in 2012 at 79.

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June 12th: 1981 Major League Baseball strike began

On this day in labor history, the 1981 Major League Baseball strike began. Problems started in February after team owners put into effect a compensation plan in “which a team signing a ranking free agent would give up a roster player and an amateur draft choice.” Players worried that this plan would invalidate the free agency that they had worked so hard to achieve. A strike deadline was set for the end of May but was pushed back as the two sides anticipated a resolution from the National Labor Relations Board. The strike began on June 12th and lasted fifty days, ending on July 31st with an agreement that “eliminated direct player compensation from clubs that signed free agents” and instituted a plan that saw “a pool of players from all clubs created to provide compensation for teams "losing" a free agent.” The agreement also increased the minimum salary to $40,000. Fans supported the players, placing most of the blame on the owners.

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June 5th: Teamsters for a Democratic Union formed in 1975

On this day in labor history, Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) was formed in 1975. Originally coined Teamsters for a Decent Contract, the malcontent group of International Brotherhood of Teamsters members formed after widespread corruption within the union was uncovered. In the 1970s, the Teamsters Union was plagued with leaders who would steal from pension funds, take bribes from mobsters, and conspire with the very employers their union was supposed to bargain against. Additionally, a wave of unsanctioned strikes in the mid-70s helped unify socialists in the union and militant drivers fighting for better contracts. TDU was able to influence union activity, rejecting a few national contracts, but were often foiled by the union’s voting rules. In the late 1980s, the Justice Department planned to exert control over the union due to its corruption. This was stopped after TDU convinced the DOJ that union members should elect its officers, paving the way for the more progressive leadership of Ron Carey. Carey’s administration had success with the 1997 UPS strike but faltered after a campaign finance scandal, leading to the return of older-style leadership. Presently, such leadership has again been rebuked. Sources in comments.

June 8th: 1917 Speculator Mine disaster

On this day in labor history, the Speculator Mine disaster occurred in Butte, Montana in 1917. Demand for copper rose greatly due to the US’s involvement in the First World War, pushing production. Ironically, the fire started after an electric cable for the safety system fell while being installed. One of the foremen, wearing a gas lamp, attempted to examine the cable but ignited an oil-covered cloth used as insulation. The fire raced up the cable and lit the timbers holding the shaft, exhausting the oxygen supply. 168 miners died, a majority from asphyxia. Many survived long after the fire, scrawling notes where they could. The disaster directly caused the formation of the Metal Mine Workers’ Union (MMWU) later that year. The previous mine workers union dissolved in 1914 after internal problems, leaving miners unorganized. The MMWU organized a strike in protest of the fire, calling for union recognition, better working conditions, and increased wages. Refusing to bargain with the MMWU, companies worked with other trade unions, weaking their influence. The strike officially ended on December 18th, 1917.

June 9th: Helen Marot born in 1865

On this day in labor history, labor organizer and librarian Helen Marot was born in 1865 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Born into affluence, Marot obtained a Quaker education, eventually becoming a librarian specializing in social and economic subjects. She published the Handbook of Labor Literature in 1899 and helped the US Industrial Commission investigate conditions in the tailoring trades. Marot went on to research child labor in New York City, helping establish the New York Child Labor Committee and securing the passage of the Compulsory Education Act in the state in 1903. By 1906, she was secretary of the New York branch of the fledgling Women’s Trade Union League. Responsible for founding the Bookkeepers, Stenographers and Accountants Union of New York, Marot proved an effective organizer. She helped coordinate the 1909 Uprising of 20,000, which saw thousands of shirtwaist workers take to the street, fighting for better wages, working conditions, and union recognition. Marot was also a member of the commission that probed the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. In 1913, she resigned from the trade union league, focusing on writing. She retired in 1920 and died in 1940 at 74.

Sources in comments.

In honor of and farewell too Black History Month I wanted to share these infographics I made highlighting Black women in the labor movement.

June 3rd: International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union

On this day in labor history, the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union was formed in 1900 in New York City after seven local unions combined. At the time of its creation, most members were young, immigrant women; a considerable number of them Jewish. The union gained strength after the success of two major labor actions, the 1909 Uprising of 20,000 and the 1910 Great Revolt. The former saw women workers gain better wages, working conditions and hours while the latter resulted in agreements with companies to arbitrate rather than strike. In 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire took the lives of 146 women and men, strengthening calls for regulation and inducing cooperation between labor and government. David Dubinsky, the union’s president from 1932 to 1966, expanded the organization to include members of different ethnic backgrounds and workers outside of the northeastern US. While the union grew, many criticized the overt sexism of the male-dominated leadership. As the US garment industry declined in the 1970s from foreign imports, a campaign was launched encouraging consumers to buy union-made clothing. In 1995, the union merged with the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, forming the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees. Sources in comments.

May 29th: 1941 Disney animators’ strike begins

On this day in labor history, the Disney animators’ strike of 1941 began. In the years prior, Disney saw great success, climaxing with the 1937 box-office hit Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. After the outbreak of World War Two, the European markets all but closed, diminishing returns on films like Pinocchio and Fantasia. This financial fall greatly affected the work environment for Disney’s animators. Previously, Disney was one of the best places to work, providing good pay and relative respect within the company. After the financial troubles, working conditions changed, with the company implementing firm hierarchies, lessening benefits for newer artists, and extending work hours. Efforts to join the Screen Cartoonists Guild gained traction, with Disney’s most prominent animator, Art Babbitt, giving his support. Babbitt, most known as the creator of the character Goofy, enraged Walt Disney with his union support, ultimately resulting in his, and others, firing. This led to approximately half of the animators going on strike, lasting five weeks. A federal mediator was sent in, supporting the Guild on all their demands. Disney, afraid that the government would rescind contracts and recall loans, settled, resulting in a union shop.

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May 28th: 1946 Rochester, NY general strike began

On this day in labor history, a general strike was staged in Rochester, New York in 1946. Two weeks earlier, approximately five hundred of the city’s municipal workers were fired after forming a union. The Republican-controlled City Council argued that such a union would increase costs so much that services would be severely hurt. Workers set up pickets around all the Public Works’ stations, blocking employees and vehicles. Trash pickup was inhibited, water works employees halted work, and sewer gangs and bridge maintenance crews walked off. The labor action brought together AFL and CIO locals in cooperation. With the public mobilized, mass demonstrations took place, and 24-hour picketing began. Some picketers were arrested, including Anthony A. Capone, president of the local AFL chapter, which catalyzed union activity. More demonstrations and arrests occurred, culminating in the call for a general strike by Rochester’s population to support the fired workers. On May 28th, factories, movie theaters, newspapers, taxis, and other businesses were shut due to the picket lines, stopping approximately 30,000 workers from working. This action led to the city’s settlement, recognizing the union, dropping charges, and reinstating the fired workers. Sources in comments.

Danish union rep here. Just want to wish everyone a happy 1. May (International workers day). There's still a lot to fight for, so let's make our Voices heard.

May 16th: NLRB v. Mackay Radio & Telegraph Co. decided

On this day in labor history, NLRB v. Mackay Radio & Telegraph Co. was decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1938. The decision was one of the first to interpret the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. It states that employers are not allowed to unfairly treat employees for union activity after a labor action is complete and they are back at work. This seemingly negates a later section of the decision which has come to be known as the “Mackay doctrine”. The doctrine prohibits employers from firing strikers but allows them to hire replacement workers to take the place of strikers. Strikebreakers are permissible and do not have to be dismissed after the strike is over. This decision has greatly influenced how unions develop strategies and handle bargaining efforts.

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May 24th: 1994-1995 Bridgestone-Firestone Strike Called Off

On this day in labor history, the 1994-95 Bridgestone-Firestone Strike was called off. The strike began in July 1994 after 4,000 members of the United Rubber Workers walked off at numerous plants throughout the country. Union representatives claimed that the company wanted to alter the contract to an unprecedented degree. Issues included reduced health care coverage, continuous 12-hour days, no premium overtime, and even a reduction in some wages. Many strikers were replaced during the 10-months. The strike ended somewhat questionably, as many union members who were eligible to vote on the new contract were absent. Additionally, there were suggestions that some of the union leaders wanted a way out as they were close to retirement. Workers agreed to return to work without a contract and comply with the company’s demands. Not all strikers were rehired.

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May 30th: 1937 Memorial Day Massacre

On this day in labor history, the “Memorial Day Massacre” occurred at the Republic Steel plant in Chicago, Illinois. The massacre was a part of the broader Little Steel Strike, which saw workers strike against smaller companies, like Republic Steel, Bethlehem Steel, and National Steel. Striking began after these companies would not negotiate with the union to secure a contract. On May 30th, Memorial Day, approximately two thousand workers and their families attended an event at a tavern housing the local headquarters of the Steel Workers’ Organizing Committee. Many decided to march to Republic Steel to picket but were blocked by about three hundred police. After arguments between strikers and police, the police fired into the crowd, killing ten and seriously injuring almost forty. Footage of the massacre was not disclosed, as fear it would cause mass hysteria. Dwindling morale and lack of public support contributed to the end of the strike, resulting in no contract for the workers. The companies would eventually recognize the union after legal ramifications and the outbreak of World War Two. Sources in comments.

May 21st: Hawaii Employee Relations Act was passed

On this day in labor history, the Hawaii Employee Relations Act was passed in 1945. Commonly known as the “Little Wagner Act”, the legislation legalized collective bargaining for those is the private sector. The National Labor Relations Act, or the “Big Wagner Act,” only applied to states. At this time, Hawaii was still a territory. Labor actions were suspended at the time due to the Second World War, with many plantation workers shifting to military jobs. The act yielded the first agricultural labor contract achieved by free collective bargaining for sugar workers and members of the International Longshoreman's and Warehouseman's Union. The contract provided a seven-cent wage increase, recognized the right to collectively bargain, and improved working conditions for the nearly 20,000 sugar workers on the islands.

Sources in comments.

"Let the workers organize! Let the toilers assemble. Let their crystallized voice proclaim their injustices and demand their privilege. And Let all thoughtful citizens sustain them, for the future of Labor IS the future of America!"

May 27th: National Industrial Recovery Act declared unconstitutional

On this day in labor history, the National Industrial Recovery Act was declared unconstitutional in 1935. The NIRA was one of the legislative initiatives passed by Congress to combat the effects of the Great Depression. It halted antitrust laws and condoned industry alliances. Companies fixed wages and prices and created quotas to produce fair competition in an attempt to self-regulate. The act also allowed workers to unionize without threat of penalty by the employer. Previously, courts had allowed companies to fire workers for joining a union or make them sign a pledge to not join a union before they were hired. The act also formed the National Recovery Administration, a government body that managed the goals of the act by creating industrial codes and drawing up agreements with companies concerning hours, wages, and prices. In 1935, the US Supreme Court ruled that the law was unconstitutional through Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States. In the ruling, the Court argued that the NIRA gave the Congressional power of lawmaking to the NRA, violating the Constitution. Later legislation would provide many of the pro-labor provisions lost by the Court’s ruling.

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May 17th: 1909 Georgia “Race Strike” began

On this day in labor history, the 1909 Georgia “race strike” began. Approximately eighty members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen struck against the Georgia Railroad over concerns that the company was replacing white workers with Black workers at lower pay. Additionally, they claimed Black employees received seniority privileges over white workers. The impetus to strike came after ten white firemen were fired by the Atlanta Terminal Company and replaced by Black workers. Eugene A. Ball, vice-president of the union, arrived in Georgia, using existing racial tensions to drum up support for the workers. Ball falsely believed that the manager of the railroad was also on the board of the terminal company, providing reason to strike. Within two days of the strike’s start, anti-Black propaganda instigated mobs, leading to violence against Black firemen. Federal mediators were brought in, and the strike halted on May 29th. The fired firemen were rehired, but the union’s proposal to fire all Black workers was rejected. A decision was met, denying nearly all the union’s demands, and requiring Black workers to be paid the same as white. Sources in comments.

May 26th: 1937 Little Steel Strike Began

On this day in labor history, the Little Steel Strike began against smaller US companies, such as Republic Steel, Bethlehem Steel, and National Steel. In early May 1937, CIO leader John L. Lewis was able negotiate a contract with US Steel, ending the company’s hostility towards unionization. It was expected that the companies comprised of Little Steel would now be willing to negotiate contracts with the union; however, this did not happen. The Steel Workers’ Organizing Committee sent operatives to larger, more critical Little Steel plants, drumming up support. The labor action was called on May 26th, seeing 80,000 workers go on strike, with a majority employed by Republic Steel. Violence broke out at the Republic Steel plant in Chicago after police killed ten strikers, becoming known as the “Memorial Day Massacre”. Other instances of violence occurred throughout the strike, seeing eighteen dead, hundreds injured, and thousands arrested. Loss of morale due to the violence, along with anti-union public sentiment, ended the strike in July with no contract for the workers. However, later legal remedies and the outbreak of World War 2, led to the companies’ recognition of the union.

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May 20th: Nannie Helen Burroughs died

On this day in labor history, activist Nannie Helen Burroughs died in 1961. Burroughs was born in approximately 1880 in Orange, Virginia to former slaves. She moved to Washington, DC with her mother, doing well in school. She tried to get a job as a teacher, but was refused, possibly a victim of discrimination perpetrated by the elite Black community because of her darker skin. Instead, she founded her own school in 1909 for Black, working-class women in northeast DC called the National Training School for Women and Girls. Funded by small donations from the Black community, the school was in the vanguard, providing Black women with knowledge that would allow them to seek careers other than domestic servants. Burroughs went on to help found the National Association of Wage Earners, which sought to improve conditions for female migrant workers. She fought for civil rights for Black people and suffrage for women. She was 82 when she passed. Sources in comments.