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Lowell Mill Women Create First Union of Working Women 1830's
In the 1830s, half a century before the better-known mass movements for workers' rights in the United States, the Lowell mill women organized, went on strike and mobilized in politics when women couldn't even vote and created the first union of working women in American history. Relates because women fought to overcome things and be the first women union and get rights they deserve. -
Atlanta's Washerwomen Strike 1881
With slavery less than two decades behind them, thousands of black laundresses went on strike for higher wages, respect for their work and control over how their work was organized.They gained so much support that they threatened to call a general strike, which would have shut the city down. Relates because once again they were fighting for what they deserved and for their rights. -
Haymarket Riot 1886
Haymarket Square turned into a riot after someone threw a bomb at police. At least eight people died as a result of the violence that day. At the same time, the men convicted in connection with the riot were viewed by many in the labor movement as martyrs. Relates because it was viewed as a setback to what the labor movement was fighting for. -
Sherman Antitrust Act 1890
The law forbade any "restraint of commerce" across state lines, and courts ruled that union strikes and boycotts were covered by the law. Relates because there were unions but they were covered by the law. -
Homestead Strike 1892
An industrial lockout and strike, culminating in a battle between strikers and private security agents.The final result was a major defeat for the union and a setback for their efforts to unionize steelworkers. Relates because the strike happened because people weren't getting things they deserved which is what the labor movement represented. -
McKees Rock Strike: Turning Point for Immigrant Workers 1909
"The greatest labor fight in all my history in the labor movement."The strike took place at the huge Pressed Steel Car Co. plant in McKees Rock, a few miles down the Ohio River from Pittsburgh, where between 5,000 and 8,000 mostly immigrant workers from some 16 nationalities created railway cars. Relates because people rose up and fought to change the course of American unionism. -
labor Wagner Act 1935
The Wagner Bill proposed to create a new independent agency, find a solution to the enforcement problem. Gave employees the right, under Section 7, to form and join unions, and it obligated employers to bargain collectively with unions selected by a majority of the employees in an appropriate bargaining unit. It relates because the act was out to protect interest of workers. -
Taft- Hartley Act 1947
Prohibited jurisdictional strikes, wildcat strikes, solidarity or political strikes, secondary boycotts, secondary and mass picketing, closed shops, and monetary donations by unions to federal political campaigns. It relates because it is going against what the labor movement represents. -
Polish Shipyard Strike 1970
PZPR, decided to end government subsidies for food and other everyday items in late 1970. Monday, 14 December 1970, thousands of workers from Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk put down their tools and demanded the introduced price increases be rescinded. Because management was unable to meet their demand, the workers left the yard a few hours later and marched to the building of the Municipal Headquarters. Relates because they wanted the rights they deserved and worked for. -
Warning Strike 1981
Several members of Solidarity, were brutally beaten up by the security services.Solidarity decided to go on a nationwide strike in protest against the violence. Afour-hour national warning strike took place. It was the biggest strike in the history of the Soviet Bloc,it has also been called the largest strike in the history of Poland. Relates because these people were trying to protect themselves and and wanted what the labor movement stood for.
