Minneapolis Commemorates Landmark Teamsters Strike

[Omaha Steve]

Bottom of page: http://labornotes.org/2009/12/stewards-corner-remember-past-and-use-it

by Gillian Furst, Teamsters Local 1145, retired

A group of activists drew 300 people to a picnic this summer to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the 1934 Teamsters strike. For those of us in Minnesota, the strike continues to be a landmark event.

Besides our free picnic, there was also a huge rock concert the night before sponsored by an activist youth group, and all sorts of seminars and walking and bus tours throughout the year sponsored by the public library, the Minneapolis Labor Review, and other groups.

We began holding monthly meetings eight months ahead to discuss the themes we wanted to emphasize and other important matters, like the budget, music, and publicity.

Emphasizing the need to revive the spirit of the 1934 strike, one of our featured speakers was Armando Robles, a leader of the Republic Windows and Doors sitdown in Chicago last December.

We had children’s games, free food, and a big historical display, and the event vibrated with excitement and solidarity. “The 1934 Teamsters strike reminds us all of what can be accomplished when workers use their power,” said Linda Leighton, an SEIU member and granddaughter of Vincent Ray Dunne, one of the 1934 strike leaders.

To underwrite the cost of the event, we did early fundraising using a variety of activist lists to phonebank. Some went back to their locals for donations. Food and Commercial Workers Local 789 contributed much of the food and several Postal Workers locals made big donations.

We printed attractive flyers, promoted the picnic in local labor papers and websites, and put up a website ourselves. At the core of our efforts was a rank-and-file committee that met regularly and democratically. We didn’t forget to have folks sign in, and got a good mailing list.

More about the 1934 strike: http://laboreducation2.moonfruit.com/#/harry-deboer/4536163054