A daily, pocket-sized history of America's working people, brought to you by The Rick Smith Show team.
Episodes
Wednesday Jul 29, 2015
Wednesday Jul 29, 2015
On this day in Labor History the year was 1970. That was the day the United Farm Workers, led by Cesar Chavez, signed their first union contract in California. It was a milestone victory for agricultural workers.
Tuesday Jul 28, 2015
Tuesday Jul 28, 2015
On this day in Labor History the year was 1913 silk workers in Paterson, New Jersey ended their unsuccessful six-month strike. By 1900, Paterson had won the nickname "Silk City." Skilled weavers, ribbon weavers in particular, were proud of their craft.
Monday Jul 27, 2015
Monday Jul 27, 2015
On this day in Labor History the year was 1869. That was the day that labor leader William Sylvis died. Sylvis was born in Armaugh, Pennsylvania.
Sunday Jul 26, 2015
Sunday Jul 26, 2015
On this day in Labor History the year was 1775. That was the day that the United States Post Office was created in Philadelphia under Benjamin Franklin. Franklin was a member of the Second Continental Congress. Among many distinctions Ben Franklin was the nation’s first Postmaster General.
Saturday Jul 25, 2015
Saturday Jul 25, 2015
On this day in Labor History the year was 1832. That was the day of the first recorded railroad accident in U.S. history. It took place near Quincy, Massachusetts. Four people were thrown off a vacant car on the Granite Railway.
Friday Jul 24, 2015
Friday Jul 24, 2015
On this day in Labor History the year was 1877. Workers organized the first general strike in American history. The strike was an outgrowth of the railroad strike which you may know, if you are a regular listener of Labor History in 2:00, that started ten days earlier in Martinsburg, West Virginia.
Thursday Jul 23, 2015
Thursday Jul 23, 2015
On this day in Labor History the year was 1892. That was the day that Lithuanian-born anarchist, Alexander Berkman attempted to shoot steel magnate Andrew Carnegie’s second-in-command, Henry Clay Frick. Berkman wanted to avenge the Homestead Steel massacre in which nine workers were killed.
Wednesday Jul 22, 2015
Wednesday Jul 22, 2015
On this day in Labor History the year was 1887. That was the day brewery workers in San Francisco declared victory after breweries owners gave in to their demands. The demands were as follows: free beer, a closed shop, freedom to live outside the breweries, a 10-hour work day, a six-day week, and a board of arbitration.
Tuesday Jul 21, 2015
Tuesday Jul 21, 2015
On this day in Labor History the year was 1931. And Chicago public school teachers went home without a paycheck. The school system was broke. Property owners out of work due to the Great Depression could not pay their property taxes, which were used to fund the public schools.
Monday Jul 20, 2015
Monday Jul 20, 2015
On this day in Labor History the year was 1899. That was the day New York City newsboys went on strike. A newspaper article noted: “The Newsboys’ Union has decided to tie up the World and the Journal. They have struck for better rates on the evening editions of these papers, and their demands have been refused.