On today’s labor calendar, with a vote in Congress on Fast Track expected any day, a Stop Fast Track Canvass in Maryland Congressman Steny Hoyer’s district is scheduled for 10am tomorrow morning at AFSCME Local 2250’s offices in Upper Marlboro; this may change depending on actions in Congress, so be sure to go to dclabor.org and click on calendar for the latest details.
Here’s today’s labor history:
Fifty thousand members of the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen employed in meatpacking plants walked off their jobs on this date in 1904. Their demands included equalization of wages and conditions throughout U.S. plants
In 1945, the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated two sections of a Florida law: one required state licensing of paid union business agents, the other required registration with the state of all unions and their officers.
And in 1981, a Major League Baseball strike began, forcing cancellation of 713 games. Most observers blamed team owners for the strike: they were trying to recover from a court decision favoring the players on free agency.
Today’s labor quote is by Marvin Miller, Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association from 1966 to 1982:
“Never count on an arbitrator or courts...You may think you know how it will come out but don't count on it. A strike you can count on because you only call a strike when you know you can win."
Marvin Miller, who said: “The notion that you can just ignore the union is foolish, and becomes more foolish each time they do it."