Today in labor history Aug. 01 Police chief of Matewan murdered, “the Hilo Massacre”, & more

[Omaha Steve]

August 01

Aug. 1, 1884 - A local of the Cigarmakers Union was founded in Winona, Minn.



After organizing a strike of metal miners against the Anaconda Company, Wobblie organizer Frank Little is dragged by six masked men from his Butte, Mont. hotel room and hung from the Milwaukee Railroad trestle. Years later writer Dashiell Hammett would recall his early days as a Pinkerton detective agency operative and recount how a mine company representative offered him $5,000 to kill Little. Dashiell says he quit the business that night - 1917 image

Sid Hatfield, police chief of Matewan, W. Va., a longtime supporter of the United Mine Workers union, is murdered by company goons. This soon led to the Battle of Blair Mountain, a labor uprising also referred to as the Red Neck War - 1921

August 1, 1938 - Police opened fire on 200 trade unionists peacefully gathered to protest the unloading of a ship in Hawaii 's Hilo Harbor . The demonstrators were supporting striking waterfront workers. The police attack became known as "the Hilo Massacre."

A 17-day, company-instigated wildcat strike in Philadelphia tries to bar eight African-American trolley operators from working. Transport Workers Union members stay on the job in support of the men - 1944

Government & Civic Employees Organizing Committee merges into State, County & Municipal Employees - 1956

Window Glass Cutters League of America merges with Glass Bottle Blowers - 1975

California School Employees Association affiliates with AFL-CIO - 2001

[pnorman]

1. Hilo Masacacre, 1938

http://www.hawaii.edu/uhwo/clear/Pubs/HiloMassacre.html

And the movie, Matewan, is well worth watching: http://www.amazon.com/Matewan/dp/B00005A3Q5/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1217591149&sr=1-1

The Amazon price is $60, waaay to high, but NetFlix probably carries it.

pnorman