Labor History in 2:00

February 13 - Writers Take to the Picket Line

If you turned on your T.V. in the winter of 2007-2008, you probably couldn’t find new episodes of your favorite programs. 

That winter some 12,000 writers represented by the Writers Guild of America took to the picket lines holding a 100 day strike. 

February 12 - John L. Lewis is Born

On this day in labor history, the year was, 1880, labor leader John L. Lewis was born in a company mining camp outside of Lucas, Iowa.

His father was a Welsh coal miner, and young Lewis followed in his footsteps entering the Big Hill Mine in Lucas at the age of 17.

February 11 - NYC Fur Workers Strike Wins Big!

Did you work 40-hours this week? If you did, today is an important day for you! On this day in labor history, the year was 1926

On this day, labor leader Benjamin Gold began what became a general strike of all Furriers in New York City. 

February 10 - A Day of Infamy for Farm Workers

On this day in labor history, the year was1979, Rufino Contreras gave his life to the labor movement. 

In the Imperial Valley of California the United Farm Workers were engaged in a bitter labor strike against lettuce growers. 

Shortly before noon, Contreres and six other strikers walked onto a lettuce field owned by Mario Saikhon in an attempt to try talk to a group of 75 scabs brought in to break the strike. 

Before they could reach the scabs shots rang out.  

February 9 - No Nerds, No Birds!

On this day in labor history, the year was 2000, members of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) went on strike against Boeing.   

February 8 - Moral Mondays

Each and every day Labor’s history continues to be written.  Such is the case in North Carolina.  On this day in labor history, the year was 2014 which saw a massive protest in Raleigh. 

The protest was part of the “Moral Monday” movement. 

“Moral Mondays” started off as and continue as a series of protests against new policies enacted by the Republican legislature and governor of North Carolina.  

February 7 - Bull Moose Forces Massacre Striking Miners

On this day in labor history, the year was 1913 law enforcement officers and mining company guards rode on an armored train firing indiscriminately into a tent colony of striking miners and their families at Holly Grove, West Virginia. 

For nearly a year, what became known as the Paint Creek-Cabin Creek mine wars had raged in the rich coal range of West Virginia?

February 6 - The Post-War Strike Wave Begins

On this day in labor history, the year was 1919 marking the first day of the week-long general strike in Seattle, Washington.  As World War I drew to a close many workers in the city were frustrated by two years without pay increases due to the war. 

February 5 - FMLA Becomes Law

On this day in labor history, the year was 1993, Today marks an important day for all working families in the United States. In an attempt "to balance the demands of the workplace with the needs of families." President Bill Clinton signed the Family Medical Leave Act, or FMLA. 

February 4 - Big Bill Haywood is Born

On this day in labor history, the year was 1869 and we celebrate the birthday of one of the most formidable figures in U.S. labor. “Big Bill Haywood” was one of the founders of the Industrial Workers of the World or IWW in 1905.  He was also active in the Socialist Party. Haywood entered the mines at only nine years of age.  He became the secretary-treasurer of the Western Federation of Miners in 1900.