Today in Labor History Aug 12 Coal company guards kill 7, wound 40 miners, NAFTA, & more

[Omaha Steve]

August 12

The national Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners is founded in Chicago in a gathering of 36 carpenters from 11 cities - 1881


Coal company guards kill 7, wound 40 miners trying to stop scabs, Virden, Ill. - 1898

Teamsters official William Grami is kidnapped, bound and beaten near Sebastopol, Calif. He was leading a drive to organize apple plant workers in the area - 1955

August 12, 1992 - The North American Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA, was concluded between the United States, Canada and Mexico, amid protests from organized labor, environmental and human rights groups. Since it took effect in January 1994, the United States has lost 3 million jobs and wages in Mexico have plummeted.

What was to become a 232-day strike by major league baseball players over owners' demands for team salary caps began on this day; 938 games were cancelled - 1994

Labor history found here: http://www.unionist.com/today-in-labor-history & here: http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?history_9_08_12_2009