Today's Labor History

On this week's Labor History Today podcast, Mark Dudzic remembers Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union activist Karen Silkwood, and we look into the origins of Haymarket Martyr’s Day. Plus Anne Feeney’s “Whatever Happened to the 8 Hour Day?”

Women’s Trade Union League founded, Boston - 1903

The American Railway Supervisors Association is formed at Harmony Hall in Chicago by 29 supervisors working for the Chicago & North Western Railway. They organized after realizing that those railroaders working under their supervision already had the benefits of unionization and were paid more for working fewer hours - 1934

The Depression-era Public Works Administration agrees with New York City today to begin a huge slum clearance project covering 20 acres in Brooklyn, where low cost housing for 2,500 families will be completed. It was the first of many such jobs-and-housing projects across the country - 1934

The National Federation of Telephone Workers—later to become the Communications Workers of America—is founded in New Orleans - 1938

Jimmy Carter-era OSHA publishes standard reducing permissible exposure of lead, protecting 835,000 workers from damage to nervous, urinary and reproductive systems - 1978

Federation of Professional Athletes granted a charter by the AFL-CIO - 1979

Compiled by Union Communication Services 

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