Today in Labor History July 12 Az. deports Wobblies; 1,186 miners sent into desert in manure-laden

[Omaha Steve]

July 12

July 12, 1842 - William Wallis Erwin was born in the town of Erwin, New York. Known as the "Tall Pine," Erwin was a lawyer and contemporary of Clarence Darrow. He moved to St. Paul in 1870, living there for more than 30 years. A fiery orator, Erwin joined Darrow in defending Eugene V. Debs and other leaders of the American Railway Union put on trial for their role in leading the 1894 Pullman strike. The St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly raised money to send Erwin to Homestead, Pennsylvania, where he became chief counsel for the Homestead strikers. "One thing is necessary to preserve common and equal rights," Erwin said, "and that is that every man fall in line and belong to a trades union."

Bisbee, Ariz. deports Wobblies; 1,186 miners sent into desert in manure-laden boxcars. They had been fighting for improved safety + working conditions - 1917

The Screen Actors Guild holds its first meeting. Among those attending: future horror movie star (Frankenstein’s Monster) and union activist Boris Karloff - 1933

Labor history found here: http://www.unionist.com/today-in-labor-history & here: http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?history_9_07_12_2009