Today in Labor History May 23 Despite the killing of 2 the strikers held they won recognition, more

[Omaha Steve]

May 23

An estimated 100,000 textile workers, including more than 10,000 children, strike in the Philadelphia area. Among the issues: 60-hour workweeks, including night hours, for the children - 1903 (for more on textile workers, check out Lyddie, a novel for young adults about a 13-year-old farm girl who takes a job in the textile mills of Lowell, Massachusetts in the UCS bookstore)


Ten thousand strikers at Toledo, Ohio’s Auto-Lite plant repel police who have come to break up their strike for union recognition. The next day, two strikers are killed and 15 wounded when National Guard machine gun units open fire. Two weeks later the company recognized the union and agreed to a 5 percent raise - 1934

And this:
May 23, 1933 - The "Battle of Toledo" erupted when sheriffs' deputies arrested several picket leaders at the Auto-Lite plant in Toledo, Ohio, and beat an old man. For seven hours, a crowd of 10,000 blockaded the plant and prevented strikebreakers from leaving. The crowd was dispersed with tear gas and water hoses and the next day the National Guard was called in. Despite the killing of two protesters by the Guard, the strikers held firm. After two weeks, they won recognition of their union and a 5 percent pay hike.

U.S. railroad strike starts, later crushed when President Truman threatens to draft strikers – 1946

The Granite Cutters International Association of America merges with Tile, Marble, Terrazzo, Finishers & Shopmen, which five years later merged into the Carpenters – 1983

Labor history found here: http://www.unionist.com/today-in-labor-history & here: http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?history_9_05_23_2011