Today in Labor History Mar 22 tear gas on some 800 IAM picketers striking, 6 &1/2 year strike ends

[Omaha Steve]

March 22


Mark Twain, a lifelong member of the International Typographical Union (now part of CWA), speaks in Hartford, Conn., extolling the Knights of Labor’s commitment to fair treatment of all workers, regardless of race or gender - 1886

And this:
March 22, 1886 - Mark Twain, a lifelong member of the International Typographical Union, gave a speech entitled, “Knights of Labor: The New Dynasty,” in which he extolled the Knights’ commitment to fair treatment of all workers, regardless of race or gender. “When all the bricklayers, and all the machinists, and all the miners, and blacksmiths, and printers, and hod-carriers, and stevedores, and housepainters, and brakemen, and engineers..and factory hands, and all the shopgirls, and all the sewing machine women, and all the telegraph operators, in a word, all the myriads of toilers in whom is slumbering the reality of that thing which you call Power, ...when these rise, call the vast spectacle by any deluding name that will please your ear, but the fact remains that a Nation has risen,” he said.

For more information
Read Helen Scott's essay, "The Mark Twain they didn't teach us about in school," http://www.marxists.de/culture/twain/noteach.htm

State and local police in Rhode Island use tear gas on some 800 IAM picketers striking the Browne & Sharp machine tool manufacturing company in North Kingstown. Gov. J. Joseph Garrahy later publicly apologized for the actions of police - 1982

A bitter six and one-half year UAW strike at Caterpillar Inc. ends. The strike and settlement, which included a two-tier wage system and other concessions, deeply divided the union - 1998

Labor history found here: http://www.unionist.com/today-in-labor-history & here: http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?history_9_03_22_2011