Click here to check out this week's Labor History Today podcast. On this week’s show: Robert Cherney on Victor Arnautoff, the Russian-born artist who reigned as San Francisco's leading mural painter during the New Deal era. And on this week’s “Cool things from the George Meany Labor Archives,” Alan, Chloe and Ben explore the AFL-CIO’s long push for national health insurance, with some fascinating documents from the Archives’ pamphlet collection. Interviews by Patrick Dixon and Allan Wierdak.
March 29 Ohio makes it illegal for children under 18 and women to work more than 10 hours a day - 1852 Sam Walton, founder of the huge and bitterly anti-union Walmart empire, born in Kingfisher, Okla. He once said that his priority was to “Buy American,” but Walmart is now the largest U.S. importer of foreign-made goods—often produced under sweatshop conditions - 1918 “Battle of Wall Street,” (top photo) police charge members of the United Financial Employees’ Union, striking against the New York Stock Exchange and New York Curb Exchange (now known as the American Stock Exchange). Forty-three workers are arrested in what was to be the first and only strike in the history of either exchange - 1948 March 30 Chicago stockyard workers win 8-hour day - 1918 At the height of the Great Depression, 35,000 unemployed march in New York’s Union Square. Police beat many demonstrators, injuring 100 - 1930 The federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act is enacted - 1970 Harry Bridges, Australian-born dock union leader, dies at age 88. He helped form and lead the Int’l Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) for 40 years. – 1990 Leaders of the Screen Actors Guild announce that the membership has voted to merge with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, creating the 150,000-member SAG-AFTRA - 2012 March 31 President Martin Van Buren issues a broadly-applicable executive order granting the 10-hour day to all government employees engaged in manual labor - 1840 Cowboys earning $40 per month begin what is to become an unsuccessful two-and-a-half-month strike for higher wages at five ranches in the Texas Panhandle - 1883 Cesar Chavez born in Yuma, Ariz.- 1927 (photo, 3rd from top) Construction begins on the three-mile Hawk’s Nest Tunnel through Gauley Mountain, W. Va., as part of a hydroelectric project. A congressional hearing years later was to report that 476 laborers in the mostly Black, migrant workforce of 3,000 were exposed to silica rock dust in the course of their 10-hour-a-day, six-days-a-week shifts and died of silicosis. Some researchers say that more than 1,000 died - 1930 President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs legislation establishing the Civilian Conservation Corps to help alleviate suffering during the Depression. By the time the program ended after the start of World War II it had provided jobs for more than six million men and boys. The average enrollee gained 11 pounds in his first three months - 1933 Wisconsin state troopers fail to get scabs across the picket line to break a 76-day Allis-Chalmers strike in Milwaukee led by UAW Local 248. The plant remained closed until the government negotiated a compromise - 1941 Federal judge Sonia Sotomayor (bottom photo), later to become a Supreme Court justice, issues an injunction against baseball team owners to end a 232-day work stoppage - 1995 Labor history courtesy Union Communication Services. click here for latest listings Union City Radio: 7:15a; WPFW-FM 89.3 Your Rights at Work Thu, March 28, 1pm – 3pm; WPFW 89.3 FM Guests include: We Were There! A Celebration of Women's History month Thu, March 28, 3pm – 5pm AFL-CIO, 815 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20005; President's Room NOTE: also broadcasting LIVE on WPFW 89.3FM Featuring Bev Grant and the DC Labor Chorus UPCOMING APALA DC Spring Membership Celebration; Sat, March 30, 12pm – 3pm Full Kee Restaurant | 509 H St NW, Washington, DC 20001; Click here to RSVP Film: Daughters of the Dust; Sat, March 30, 6:40pm – 8:20pm Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th and F Streets, NW Washington, DC 20004 Directed by Julie Dash. Rated PG (112 minutes; 1991) Legal clinic for union workers with TPS; Sun, March 31, 10am – 2pm Painters Union District Council 51 4700 Boston Way Lanham, MD 20706 Consultation will be on a first come first serve basis. RSVP to reserve your spot:[email protected] JUFJ's 2019 Labor Seder; Sun, March 31, 5pm – 8pm Adas Israel Congregation, 2850 Quebec St NW, Washington, DC 20008 Click here for tickets If you – or someone you know – is a TPS recipient and are wondering what’s going on with the TPS lawsuits and upcoming termination dates, Working Families United, a coalition of seven unions, is hosting a legal clinic this Sunday (see Calendar) to get you the answers you need. What are my rights with TPS? How do the latest TPS cancellations and lawsuits affect me? Do I qualify for any other immigration status or form of relief? Find out your options and hear what other TPS holders and unions are doing right now to protect TPS. Individual consultations will be provided to answer specific questions and screen for qualifications for any other status or form of relief; RSVP to reserve your spot: nlglabor@gmail. com NOTE: tune in to Your Rights At Work at 1p on WPFW today when Roxie Mejia from the Painters union will discuss these issues. |