History 400 - Labor Disputes

10 Most Momentous Strikes of the 20th Century Lots of words for scholars and community leaders only.

I'm working on my thesis, The Difference Between Labor Unions and the Democrat Party - Labor leaders hide their membership in the CP. After earning my PhD it will be published as a chapter in my forthcoming history text book,"A Real American's History of the United States."   Of the 10 Most Momentous Strikes of the 20th Century, only four happened here.  This is all stuff you know nothing about if you're too young to have lived through them.  Even f you did, you'll be interested in the feisty commentary and historical truths never before published.  Carry on.  And, you're welcome. “ 10. The Seattle General Strike Emerging from the damaging aftermath of the First World War, the US economy featured widespread use of wage controls on industrial salaries, and in many areas pressure was rising to increase workers’ wages. This was no more the case than in Seattle, WA, where in February 1919 a week-long strike by over 65,000 union workers hit services hard across the board. This strike was intensely divisive and was a primary factor in the subsequent ‘Red Scare’ of 1919-20. ” In Retrospect The Communist movement, founded in 1919, caught on quickly in the Pacific Northwest, picking up members from the fading Industrial Workers of the World and Socialist Party. Though radical politics had been fractured and isolated during the 1920s—a result of the World War I red scare and internal splits—the economic crisis gave radicals new ways to organize and a more sympathetic public audience. What should have been done? The strikers should have been shot dead to a man.  Harsh? Yes, but it would have stopped the later takeover of west coast unions by the CPUSA.  And, Washington State today would not lead the nation in producing serial killers and some of the nations most odious politicians. 7. The 1934 West Coast Waterfront Strike The 1934 West Coast Waterfront Strike lasted for 83 days, culminating in four days of general strike action in San Francisco. Its ideological background largely centered around syndicalist and communist tendencies amongst West Coast dock workers. The strike began on May 9th with thousands of dock workers and sailors walking out, but tensions ran high when strikebreakers, housed offshore, were brought in to keep the docks in operation. Violence between picketers and police began on July 5th, culminating in the shooting and killing of two striking dock workers later that day and inspiring the subsequent general strike. This strike’s legacy has remained ambiguous: many workers were dissatisfied at the lack of improvement in conditions despite the rise in prominence and power of the unions. In Retrospect In 1934 the longshoremen reorganized under the leadership of Harry Bridges who was an Australian seaman. This organization of longshoremen created a powerful union that would play an ongoing and pivotal role in the West Coast maritime industry. The CP was very involved on the waterfront and in 1934 – the year of the great West Coast waterfront strike – the Party played an important role in the strike and in outlining the demands. A friendship and fellowship formed between Bridges and another Australian seaman named Harry Hynes, who was the founding editor of the Waterfront Worker, a Communist paper in San Francisco. What should have been done? The strikers should have been shot dead to a man.  Harsh? Yes, but it would have stopped the later takeover of west coast by the CPUSA and Nancy Pelosi. 4. The 1952 Steel Strike A huge victory for the United Steelworkers of America was won against 10 major steelmakers, including US Steel, in July 1952 after 53 days of strike action was resolved on the terms that had initially been demanded by the union at the beginning of the strike. This strike is also significant insofar as President Truman had attempted to avert the crippling strike action by nationalizing the steel industry, only to have his decision overturned by the Supreme Court. In Retrospect Mafia and CP dominated Steelworkers called a strike that threatened war production during the Korean War.  Truman did what other democrats want to do, try to nationalize private industry. He was slapped down by the SCOTUS (Eisenhower had not yet appointed Earl Warren Chief Justice). What should have been done? The strikers should have been shot dead to a man.  Harsh? Yes, but it would have prevented American labor unions from becoming the financiers of American crime, including the Democrat Party. AND —  would not have opened the gates to steel exporters from commie countries.  Thirty-five years later most of our great steel mills had closed. Victims of union greed. 3. The Steel Strike of 1959 After seven years had passed since the successful steel strikes of 1952, half a million members of the United Steelworkers of America took to the picket-lines once more. This time, however, the level of success from the union’s perspective was dubious. Although the steelworkers ended up winning a marginal wage increase, the union-restricting powers of the Taft-Hartley Act were brought to bear on a new generation of workers nationwide. Furthermore, the lack of operation during the strike meant that unprecedented levels of steel imports had taken place, devastating the industry in the long-run. In Retrospect There you have it.  Let a commie get a foothold and you can lock up the silver.  The greatest tragedy was this began America's slide from dominating world production of everything, to becoming a service industry for Red China, and Obama nationalizing the auto industry. What should have been done? The strikers should have been shot dead to a man.  Harsh? Not at all. Had that been done there would have been no JFK, Woodstock Festival, no Jimmy Carter, and certainly no Clinton or Obama Footnotes: I didn't keep track.  Google the words you need sourced.