Today In Labor History

​Emma Goldman (left), women's rights activist and radical, born in Lithuania. She came to the U.S. at age 17 - 1869
 
The Industrial Workers of the World, also known as the "Wobblies," is founded at a 12-day-long convention in Chicago. The Wobbly motto: "An injury to one is an injury to all." - 1905
 
Congress passes the National Labor Relations Act, creating the structure for collective bargaining in the United States - 1935
(The Labor Law Source Book: Texts of 20 Federal Labor Laws: A very handy collection that puts the full texts of all the major U.S. labor laws into one book. Includes the National Labor Relations Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act, Family and Medical Leave Act and 15 more. The full, actual language of each law is presented—without elaboration by the editor—and a helpful topic finder at the back of the book tells you which laws apply to basic concerns and classes of workers.)
 
A 26-day strike of New York City hotels by 26,000 workers—the first such walkout in 50 years—ends with a 5-year contract calling for big wage and benefit gains - 1985
 
A.E. Staley locks out 763 workers in Decatur, Ill. The lockout was to last two and one-half years - 1993

---