Episodes
Monday May 11, 2020
May 11 - The Historic Pullman Strike Begins
Monday May 11, 2020
Monday May 11, 2020
On this day in Labor History the year was 1894. That was the first day of the Pullman Strike. The strike started in the company of town of Pullman, on the south side of Chicago, where workers made luxury sleeping cars for passenger trains.
Sunday May 10, 2020
May 10 - Fight for Equality
Sunday May 10, 2020
Sunday May 10, 2020
On this day in Labor History the year was 1980. That was the day that as many as ninety thousand people rallied for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment in Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois.
Saturday May 09, 2020
May 9 - Fighting Exploitation
Saturday May 09, 2020
Saturday May 09, 2020
On this day in Labor History the year was 1972. That was the day that employees at the Farah Manufacturing Company went out on strike. The company was one of the top producers of men and boy’s pants in the country, and the second largest employer in El Paso.
Friday May 08, 2020
May 8 - Organizing the Rails
Friday May 08, 2020
Friday May 08, 2020
On this day in Labor History the year was 1863. That was the day that Division One of the Brotherhood of the Footboards was founded in Detroit, Michigan. By the next year they had changed their name to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.
Thursday May 07, 2020
May 7 - Bloody Tuesday
Thursday May 07, 2020
Thursday May 07, 2020
On this day in Labor History the year was 1907. That was the day known in the San Francisco labor movement as “Bloody Tuesday” In the early twentieth century, San Francisco was a city with a strong union movement. In early May, the Carmen’s Union called a strike against United Railroads, the company that ran the city’s transit system.
Wednesday May 06, 2020
May 6 - Taking an Ax to Poverty Wages
Wednesday May 06, 2020
Wednesday May 06, 2020
On this day in Labor History the year was 1935. That was the day that began a strike of lumber workers across the Pacific Northwest. Lumberman had enough of long hours, dangerous conditions, and low pay. Plans for the strike began at a meeting of the Sawmill and Timber Workers Union in late March.
Tuesday May 05, 2020
May 5 - The Battle of Harlan
Tuesday May 05, 2020
Tuesday May 05, 2020
On this day in Labor History the year was 1931. That was the day that became known as the “Battle of Harlan” or the “Battle for Evarts.” Harlan County, Kentucky was coal country. Miners worked long hours underground and faced dangerous, and often deadly working conditions.
Monday May 04, 2020
May 4 - The Day That Changed the World
Monday May 04, 2020
Monday May 04, 2020
On this day in Labor History the year was 1886. That evening a worker’s rally in Chicago Illinois became known as the Haymarket Tragedy. On May 1, workers from across the city and country had held massive rallies for the eight-hour day. Two days later,the police had fired into a crowd of workers on strike outside of the McCormick Reaper plant in the Chicago neighborhood of Pilsen.
Sunday May 03, 2020
May 3 - The Voice of a Movement
Sunday May 03, 2020
Sunday May 03, 2020
On this day in Labor History the year was 1919. That was the birthday of folk musician Pete Seeger. Seeger and his music would become staples of the US labor movement. He was born into a musical family.
Saturday May 02, 2020
May 2 - Birth of a Labor Pioneer
Saturday May 02, 2020
Saturday May 02, 2020
On this day in Labor History the year was 1830. That was the birthday of Richard Trevellick, one of the early leaders of the US labor movement and the fight for the eight-hour work day. Of English descent, Richard was the son of a Cornish farmer. As a young man Trevellick took up the trade of a ship carpenter.