 Thai garment workers laid off in 2021 without receiving their legally mandated severance will receive $8.3 million in compensation financed by Victoria's Secret. The average garment worker received the equivalent of more than two years’ wages and some received as much as four years’ pay. The Solidarity Center and Worker Rights Consortium advocated for the agreement. “This is a huge victory for the workers and a testament to the courage of their union and the strength of the international solidarity campaign that supported them,” said David Welsh, Solidarity Center Thailand country director. Read more at Solidarity Center.
 “We love, love, love our fans. We love the Orioles. We want to be here at work, but we can’t come and work for $12.50.”
Tracy Lingo is a staff director with Unite Here Local 7. This week’s Labor History Today podcast: Forced labour during the ”Dirty Thirties”; Last week's show: Blood, guts, and organizing.
May 27 The U.S. Supreme Court declares the Depression-era National Industrial Recovery Act to be unconstitutional, about a month before it was set to expire – 1935 May 28 Fifteen women were dismissed from their jobs at the Curtis Publishing Company in Philadelphia for dancing the Turkey Trot. They were on their lunch break, but management thought the dance too racy – 1912 At least 30,000 workers in Rochester, N.Y. participate in a general strike in support of municipal workers who had been fired for forming a union – 1946 May 29 Animators working for Walt Disney begin what was to become a successful five-week strike for recognition of their union, the Screen Cartoonists' Guild. The animated feature "Dumbo" was being created at the time and, according to Wikipedia, a number of strikers are caricatured in the feature as clowns who go to "hit the big boss for a raise" – 1941 The United Farm Workers of America reaches agreement with Bruce Church Inc. on a contract for 450 lettuce harvesters, ending a 17-year-long boycott. The pact raised wages, provided company-paid health benefits to workers and their families, created a seniority system to deal with seasonal layoffs and recalls, and established a pesticide monitoring system – 1996 May 30 In what became known as the Memorial Day Massacre, police open fire on striking steelworkers at Republic Steel in South Chicago, killing ten and wounding more than 160 - 1937 - David Prosten The Maryland State and DC AFL-CIO’s Committee on Political Education last week voted to endorse candidates in the following statewide races: United States Senate – Chris Van Hollen; Maryland Governor – Tom Perez; Attorney General – Anthony Brown; Comptroller – Brooke Lierman. The state federation’s COPE also issued endorsements of candidates from Maryland and the District of Columbia for the House of Representatives and Maryland’s General Assembly. Click here for a complete list of primary endorsements. “We work to elect proven leaders who will improve the lives of working people, bring fairness and dignity to our workplaces, and secure social equity,” said Maryland State and DC AFL-CIO President Donna S. Edwards. “All of the endorsed candidates have long track records of fighting for workers and their families, and this is our opportunity to stand with those who have stood with us.”
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