Labor History Chronology

Bricklayers start working 8-hour days.

Ref: 5

1868

The U.S. Congress enacts legislation granting an eight-hour day to workers employed by the federal government.

Ref: 2

1869

Dec 09

Noble Order of Knights of Labor founded, Philadelphia.

Ref: 5

Dec 30

Philadelphia Knights of Labor forms.

Ref: 5

1871

Jun 29

Trades Unions legalized in Britain.

Ref: 10

1873

Feb 27

Dutch socialist Samuel van Wooden demands law against child labor.

Ref: 5

1874

Jan 13

The original Tompkins Square Riot. As unemployed workers demonstrated in New York's Tompkins Square Park, a detachment of mounted police charged into the crowd, beating men, women and children indiscriminately with billy clubs and leaving hundreds of casualties in their wake. Commented Abram Duryee, the Commissioner of Police: "It was the most glorious sight I ever saw..."

Ref: 5

May 05

Dutch 2nd Chamber passes child labor law.

Ref: 5

Jul 04

Social Democratic Workmen's Party of North America formed.

Ref: 5

1877

U.S. railroad workers began strikes to protest wage cuts.

Ref: 5

Jun 21

Ten coal-mining activists ("Molly Maguires") were hanged in Pennsylvania.

Ref: 59

Jul 24

First time federal troops are used to combat strikers.

Ref: 5

1879

Oct 07

Joe Hill Jevla Sweden, organizer (IWW)/songwriter (Union Scab)/martyr, is born.

Ref: 5

1881

Nov 15

The Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions of the United States and Canada was formed -- in Pittsburgh, PA. Five years later the organization became the American Federation of Labor (AFL).

Ref: 4

1883

Feb 14

New Jersey becomes the first state to pass legislation legalizing labor unions.

Ref: 5

1884

Mar 21

Trades Unions in France legalized.

Ref: 10

1885

Sep 02

In Rock Springs, Wyoming Territory, 28 Chinese laborers are killed and hundreds more chased out of town by striking coal miners.

1886

The Knights of Labor take to the streets demanding a universal 40-hour work week.

Ref: 5

May 03

A fight involving hundreds breaks out at McCormick Reaper in Chicago between locked-out unionists and the non-unionist workers McCormick hired to replace them. The Chicago police, swollen in number and heavily armed, quickly moved in with clubs and guns to restore order. They left four unionists dead and many others wounded.

Ref: 59

May 04

At Haymarket Square in Chicago, a labor demonstration for an eight-hour workday turned into a riot when a bomb explodes killing 7 policemen and wounding 67 others.

Ref: 70

Dec 08

American Federation of Labor (AFL) is formed by 26 craft unions in Columbus OH; Samuel Gompers elected AFL president.

Ref: 5

1887

Feb 21

Oregon becomes first US state to make Labor Day a holiday.

Ref: 5

1888

Apr 16

Drentse & Friese peat cutters go on strike.

Ref: 5

1889

Mar 02

Kansas passes first general antitrust law in US. ("Who Was Who in America, 1607-1896")

Ref: 5

May 20

William Lawther union leader, is born.

Ref: 5

Dec 13

Belgium rules on women/child labor law.

Ref: 5

1890

Jan 25

The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) is founded.

Ref: 3

Jun 04

First State employment service opens in Toledo, OH.

Ref: 10

Jul 25

New York garment workers won the right to unionize after a seven-month strike. They secured agreements for a closed shop, and firing of all scabs.

Ref: 59

1891

Apr 07

Nebraska introduces the 8 hour work day.

Ref: 5

May 06

Conductors on London General Omnibus Company go on strike.

Ref: 5

Sep 03

Cottonpickers organize union & stage strike in Texas.

Ref: 5

1892

Apr 21

Black Longshoremen strike for higher wages in St Louis Mo.

Ref: 5

Jul 06

The Homestead Strike. Pinkerton Guards, trying to pave the way for the introduction of scabs, opened fire on striking Carnegie mill steel- workers in Homestead, Pennsylvania. In the ensuing battle, three Pinkertons surrendered; then, unarmed, they were set upon and beaten by a mob of townspeople, most of them women. Seven guards and eleven strikers and spectators were shot to death.

Ref: 5

1894

Mar 25

Jacob S. Coxey began leading an "army" of unemployed from Massillon, Ohio, to Washington, D.C., to demand help from the federal government.

Ref: 70

Apr 05

11 strikers killed in riot at Connellsville, Penn.

Ref: 5

Apr 20

136,000 mine workers strike in Ohio for pay increase.

Ref: 5

May 11

Workers at the Pullman Palace Car Co. in Illinois went on strike.

Ref: 70

Jun 26

The American Railway Union, led by Eugene Debs, called a general strike in sympathy with Pullman workers.

Ref: 70

Jul 02

Government obtains injunction against striking Pullman Workers.

Ref: 5

Jul 06

Cleveland sends 2,000 troops to Chicago to suppress Pullman strike.

Ref: 5

Jul 16

Many negro miners in Alabama killed by striking white miners.

Ref: 5

Sep 04

Some 12,000 tailors in New York City went on strike to protest the existence of sweatshops.

Ref: 70

1896

Sep 21

The state militia was sent to Leadville, Colorado to break a miner's strike.

Ref: 59

1897

Sep 10

Nineteen unarmed striking coal miners and mine workers were killed and 36 wounded by a posse organized by the Luzerne County sherif for refusing to disperse near Lattimer, Pennsylvania. The strikers, most of whom were shot in the back, were originally brought in as strike-breakers, but later organized themselves.

Ref:77

1899

Apr 29

When their demand that only union men be employed was refused, members of the Western Federation of Miners dynamited the $250,000 mill of the Bunker Hill Company at Wardner, Idaho, destroying it completely. President McKinley responded by sending in black soldiers from Brownsville, Texas with orders to round up thousands of miners and confine them in specially built "bullpens."

Ref: 59

1901

Jul 15

Over 74,000 Pittsburgh steel workers go on strike.

Ref: 2

1902

Jan 13

Textile workers strike in Enschede Netherlands till June 1.

Ref: 5

1903

Jan 29

Dutch railroad workers strike.

Ref: 5

Feb 18

Kuyper government launches anti strike laws.

Ref: 5

Apr 06

General railroad strike against "worgwetten" (anti-strike laws).

Ref: 5

Nov 23

Troops were dispatched to Cripple Creek, Colorado to control rioting by striking coal miners.

Ref: 59

1905

Jul 07

The International Workers of the World found their labor organization in Chicago.

Ref: 2

Oct 20

Great General Strike in Russia begins; lasts 11 days.

Ref: 5

1907

Indian Mine Laws passes (concessions from Netherlands-Indies).

Ref: 5

1908

May 30

First federal workmen's compensation law approved.

Ref: 5

1909

May 17

White firemen on Georgia RR strike to protest hiring blacks.

Ref: 5

Nov 22

The "Uprising of the 20,000." Female garment workers went on strike in New York; many were arrested. A judge told those arrested: "You are on strike against God."

Ref: 59

The Labor Conference in Pittsburgh ends with a "declaration of war" on U.S. Steel.

Ref: 2

1910

Jan 03

British miners strike for 8 hour working day.

Ref: 5

Jan 06

Union leaders ask President William H. Taft to investigate U.S. Steel's practices.

Ref: 2

1911

Belgian Mining law introduces 9�-hour work day.

Ref: 5

1912

Jan 29

Martial law declared in textile strike in Lawrence MA.

Ref: 5

Feb 24

Women and children were beaten by police during a textile strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Ref: 59

Feb 26

Coal miners strike in England (settle on 03/01).

Ref: 5

May 29

Fifteen women were dismissed from their jobs at the Curtis Publishing Company in Philadelphia, PA -- for dancing the Turkey Trot while on the job!

Ref: 4

Jun 19

The United States government adopted a new rule for all working folks. It established an 8-hour work day.

Ref: 4

1913

Jan 11

Bread & Roses Strike begins.

Ref: 5

Apr 14

Belgium begins general strike for voting rights.

Ref: 5

May 24

The US Department of Labor entered into its first strike mediation. The dispute of the Railroad Clerks of the NY, New Haven and Hartford Railroad was settled nine days later.

Ref: 4

Jun 02

First strike settlement mediated by US Dep't of Labor-RR clerks.

Ref: 5

1914

Jan 26

600 Dutch textile workers go on strike.

Ref: 5

Feb 14

High Council of Labor forms in Hague Netherlands.

Ref: 5

May 09

Theodore Kheel labor negotiator (Fair Employment Practices), is born.

Ref: 5

1915

Jan 19

World famous labor leader Joe Hill was arrested in Salt Lake City. He was convicted on trumped up murder charges, and was executed 21 months later despite worldwide protests and two attempts to intervene by President Woodrow Wilson. In a letter to Bill Haywood shortly before his death he penned the famous words, "Don't mourn - organize!"

Ref: 59

Jan 19

Twenty rioting strikers were shot by factory guards at Roosevelt, New Jersey.

Ref: 59

Dec 27

In Ohio, iron and steel workers go on strike for an eight-hour day and higher wages.

Ref: 2

Dec 28

In Ohio, iron and steel workers go on strike for an eight-hour day and higher wages.

Ref: 2

1916

Jul 22

A bomb was set off during a "Preparedness Day" parade in San Francisco, killing 10 and injuring 40 more. Thomas J. Mooney, a labor organizer and Warren K. Billings, a shoe worker, were convicted, but were both pardoned in 1939.

Ref: 5

Aug 19

Strikebreakers hired by the Everett Mills owner Neil Jamison attacked and beat picketing strikers in Everett, Washington. Local police watched and refused to intervene, claiming that the waterfront where the incident took place was Federal land and therefore outside their jurisdiction. (When the picketers retaliated against the strikebreakers that evening, the local police intervened, claiming that they had crossed the line of jursidiction.)

Ref: 59

Sep 01

Keating-Owen Act (child labor banned from interstate commerce).

Ref: 5

Sep 07

The US Congress passes the Workman's Compensation Act. Federal employees win the right to receive Worker's Compensation insurance.

Ref: 2

Oct 30

Vigilantes forced IWW speakers to run the gauntlet, subjecting them to whipping, tripping kicking, and impalement against a spiked cattle guard at the end of the gauntlet in Everett, WA.

Ref: 59

1917

Jul 12

After seizing the local Western Union telegraph office in order to cut off outisde communication, several thousand armed vigilantes forced 1,185 men in Bisbee, Arizona into manure-laden boxcars and "deported" them to the New Mexico desert. The action was precipitated by a strike when workers' demands (including improvements to safety and working conditions at the local copper mines, an end to discrimination against labor organizations and unequal treatment of foreign and minority workers, and the institution of a fair wage system) went unmet. The "deportation" was organized by Sheriff Harry Wheeler. The incident was investigated months later by a Federal Mediation Commission set up by President Woodrow Wilson; the Commission found that no federal law applied, and referred the case to the State of Arizona, which failed to take any action, citing patriotism and support for the war as justification for the vigilantes' action.

Ref: 59

Aug 01

IWW (International Waterfront Workers) organizer Frank Little was lynched in Butte, Monatana.

Ref: 5

Sep 05

Federal agents raided the IWW (International Waterfront Workers) headquarters in 48 cities.

Ref: 59

1918

Jan 03

US employment service opens as a unit of Department of Labor.

Ref: 5

Jul 27

United Mine Workers organizer Ginger Goodwin was shot by a hired private policeman outside Cumberland, British Columbia.

Ref: 59

1919

Feb 06

First day of 5-day Seattle general strike.

Ref: 5

Feb 21

Revolutionary strike in Barcelona.

Ref: 5

Mar 03

Communist Party in Germany announces a general strike.

Ref: 5

Mar 11

General strike in Germany, crushed.

Ref: 5

Mar 17

Dutch steel workers strike for 8 hour day & minimum wages.

Ref: 5

Mar 25

The Paris Peace Commission adopts a plan to protect nations from the influx of foreign labor.

Ref: 2

Strike against Ruhrgebied government of Scheidemann.

Ref: 5

Apr 12

British Parliament passes a 48-hour work week with minimum wages.

Ref: 5

Apr 19

French assembly decides on 8 hour work day.

Ref: 5

Sep 19

Looting, rioting and sporadic violence broke out in downtown Boston and South Boston for days after 1,117 Boston policemen declared a work stoppage due to their thwarted attempts to affiliate with the American Federation of Labor. Massachusetts Governor Calvin Coolidge put down the strike by calling out the entire state militia.

Ref: 59

Sep 22

The "Great Steel Strike" began. Ultimately, 350,000 steel workers walked off their jobs to demand union recognition. The AFL Iron and Steel Organizing Committee called off the strike on 8 January 1920, their goals unmet.

Ref: 5

Nov 11

IWW (International Waterfront Workers) organizer Wesley Everest was lynched after a Centralia, Washington IWW hall was attacked by Legionnaires.

Ref: 59

Nov 22

A Labor conference committee in the United States urges an eight-hour workday and a 48-hour week.

Ref: 2

Dec 17

Austria parliament approves 8-hour day.

Ref: 5

1920

The eight-hour workday becomes law in Sweden.

Ref: 17

Jan 02

10,000 US union & socialist organizers arrested (Palmer Raids).

Ref: 5

Jan 04

Amsterdam actors decide to strike for retirement benefits.

Ref: 5

14,000 Rotterdam/Amsterdam harbor workers strike.

Ref: 5

May 19

The Battle of Matewan. Despite efforts by police chief (and former miner) Sid Hatfield and Mayor C. Testerman to protect miners from interference in their union drive in Matewan, West Virginia, Baldwin-Felts detectives hired by the local mining company and thirteen of the company's managers arrived to evict miners and their families from the Stone Mountain Mine camp. A gun battle ensued, resulting in the deaths of 7 detectives, Mayor Testerman, and 2 miners. Baldwin-Felts detectives assasinated Sid Hatfield 15 months later, sparking off an armed rebellion of 10,000 West Virginia coal miners at "The Battle of Blair Mountain," dubbed "the largest insurrection this country has had since the Civil War" by The Battle of Matewan Home Page.

Ref: 59

1921

Great Britain declares a state of emergency because of the thousands of coal miners on strike.

Ref: 2

Apr 15

Black Friday-Labour Party strike of mine workers fails.

Ref: 5

Samuel Gompers is elected head of the American Federation of Labor for the 40th time.

Ref: 2

Jun 28

A coal strike in Britain is settled after three months.

Ref: 2

Nov 03

Milk drivers on strike dump thousands of gallons of milk onto New York City's streets.

Ref: 2

1922

Jan 09

Rotterdam metal strike ends.

Ref: 5

Rotterdam metal strike ends.

Ref: 5

Mar 10

State of siege proclaimed during mine strike Johannesburg South Africa.

Ref: 5

May 18

Dutch 2nd Chamber agrees to 48 hour work week (was 45 hours).

Ref: 5

Jun 22

Violence erupted during a coal-mine strike at Herrin, Illinois. Thirty-six were killed, 21 of them non-union miners.

Ref: 59

1923

Jan 23

Taxi strike in Amsterdam begins (through March 9th).

Ref: 5

Feb 05

General mine strike against wage cuts in Saar.

Ref: 5

Feb 18

Belgium Borinage-mine workers strike for higher wages.

Ref: 5

Mar 09

Amsterdam taxi strike ended.

Ref: 5

French soldiers fire on workers at Krupp factory in Essen; 13 die.

Ref: 5

Apr 24

General harbor strike begins in New York NY.

Ref: 5

May 28

US unemployment has nearly ended.

Ref: 5

Aug 14

Carnegie Steel establishes the eight-hour day for its workers.

Aug 16

Carnegie Steel Corporation established an eight-hour work day for its workers.

Ref: 4

1924

Feb 26

U.S. steel industry finds claims an eight-hour day increases efficiency and employee relations.

Ref: 2

London public transport strike ends

Ref: 5

Apr 16

Child labor laws strengthened in Holland.

Ref: 5

May 05

Unions terminate Twentse textile strike.

Ref: 5

May 08

Workers at Werkspoor in Amsterdam strike against 3rd wage cut

Ref: 2

1925

May 25

Two company houses occupied by nonunion coal miners were blown up and destroyed by labor "racketeers" during a strike against the Glendale Gas and Coal Company in Wheeling, West Virginia.

Ref: 59

Jul 31

Unemployment Insurance Act passed in England.

Ref: 5

Aug 25

A. Phillip Randolph organizes the Sleeping Car Porters' Union in Harlem NY.

Ref: 2

1926

Jan 12

U.S. coal talks break down, leaving both sides bitter as the strike drags on into its fifth month.

Ref: 2

Apr 03

Italy establishes corps of force in order to break powerful unions.

Ref: 5

British coal-miners go on strike.

Ref: 5

May 03

British general strike-3 million workers support miners.

Ref: 5

May 04

United Kingdom General Strike begins, called by miners; 1.5 million people involved.

Ref: 5

May 12

General strike ends in Britain with 14,220,000 working days lost.

Ref: 5

May 15

British general strike ends, but mine workers go on strike.

Ref: 5

1927

General strike against British occupiers in Shanghai.

Ref: 5

Nov 21

Police turn machine guns on striking mine workers in Columbine, Colorado, killing five and wounding 20.

Ref: 2

1929

Farm workers strike begins in East-Groningen.

Ref: 5

1930

"Chicagorillas" -- labor racketeers -- shot and killed contractor William Healy, with whom the Chicago Marble Setters Union had been having difficulties.

Ref: 59

Nov 15

General strikes and riots paralyze Madrid, Spain.

Ref: 2

Dec 16

In Spain, a general strike is called in support of the revolution.

Ref: 2

1931

May 04

Gun-toting vigilantes attack striking miners in Harlan County, Kentucky.

Ref: 59

1932

US railway unions accept 10% wage reduction.

Ref: 5

Police kill four striking workers at Ford's Dearborn, Michigan plant.

Ref: 4

Apr 05

Dutch textile strike broken by trade unions.

Ref: 5

Apr 19

President Herbert Hoover suggests 5 day work week.

Ref: 5

Sep 29

A five-day work week is established for General Motors workers.

Ref: 2

1933

Jan 02

Ijmuider fishing strike begins (till July 11th).

Ref: 5

Jan 09

Amsterdam confectionery worker go on strike against wage reduction.

Ref: 5

Dutch bishops forbid membership in non-catholic unions.

Ref: 5

Amsterdam confectionery worker go on strike against wage reduction.

Ref: 5

May 09

Spanish anarchists call for general strike.

Ref: 5

May 10

Suriname worker's union leader A de Come banish to Netherlands.

Ref: 5

Jul 12

Congress passes first minimum wage law (33� per hour).

Ref: 5

Oct 10

18,000 cotton workers went on strike in Pixley, California. Four were killed before a pay-hike was finally won.

Ref: 59

Nov 13

The first sit-down strike was started. The U.S. Workers at the Hormel Packing Company plant in Austin, Minnesota (the home of SPAM) took action against management.

Ref: 4

1934

France hit by a general strike against fascists & royalists.

Ref: 5

1935

Nov 09

United Mine Workers president John L. Lewis and other labor leaders formed the Committee for Industrial Organization.

Ref: 5

1936

Jan 28

Bill Jordan British trade unionist, is born.

Ref: 5

Jun 30

40 hour work week law approved (federal).

Ref: 5

1937

Feb 11

General Motors recognizes the United Auto Workers union following a 44-day sit-down strike in Flint MI. Two months later, company guards beat up UAW leaders at the River Rouge, Michigan plant.

Ref: 5

Mar 01

US Steel raises workers' wages to $5 a day.

Ref: 5

May 10

Busmen strike in London

Ref: 2

May 30

Memorial Day Massacre Chicago police shoot on union marchers at Republic Steel Plant in Chicago, 10 die.

Ref: 5

Dec 07

Dutch Minister Romme proclaims married women are forbidden to work.

Ref: 5

1938

The Wages and Hours (later Fair Labor Standards) Act is passed, banning child labor and setting the 40-hour work week. The Act went into effect in October 1940, and was upheld in the Supreme Court on 3 February 1941.

Ref: 59

Federal minimum wage law guarantees workers 40� per hour.

Ref: 5

The Fair Labor Standards Act becomes law, establishing the 40-hour work week, which will take effect in 1940.

Ref: 2

1939

Jan 07

US worker's union leader Tom Mooney freed (jailed since 1916).

Ref: 5

Dec 26

Mine strikes in Borinage Brussels.

Ref: 5

1940

The 40-hour work week goes into effect under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938

Ref: 70

1941

Feb 26

Jan Keizer Zaanse February striker, shot to death.

Ref: 5

Dec 15

The AFL pledges that there will be no strikes in defense-related industry plants for the duration of the war.

Ref: 59

1942

Dutch actors protest obligatory membership of Culture Chamber.

Ref: 5

Aug 01

The American Federation of Musicians went on strike. Union president James C. Petrillo told musicians that phonograph records were �a threat to members� jobs.� As a result, musicians refused to perform in recording sessions over the next several months. Live, musical radio broadcasts continued, however.

Ref: 4

Eduard C "Edo" Fimmen Dutch trade union leader, dies at 61.

Ref: 5

1943

Mar 22

Dutch work week extended to 54 hours.

Ref: 5

Mar 22

Obligatory work for woman ends in Belgium.

Ref: 5

1944

Jan 28

John Edmonds British trade unionist, is born.

Ref: 5

Dec 20

Bishop forbids membership in non Catholic unions.

Ref: 5

1945

Nov 21

General Motors workers go on strike.

Ref: 5

1946

Jan 25

The United Mine Workers rejoined the American Federation of Labor.

Ref: 5

A strike by 400,000 mine workers in the U.S. began. U.S. troops seized railroads and coal mines the following month.

Ref: 5

Dec 07

The president of the United Mine Workers, John L. Lewis, orders all striking miners back to work.

Ref: 2

1947

Benelux agress to work related issues.

Ref: 5

Jun 20

The Taft-Hartley Labor Act, curbing strikes, was vetoed by President Truman. Congress overrode the veto.

Ref: 5

Jun 23

The Senate joined the House in overriding President Truman's veto of the Taft-Hartley Act; stops unions from closed shops and unconditional strike rights.

Ref: 70

Dec 12

The United Mine Workers union withdraws from the American Federation of Labor.

Ref: 70

1948

Dec 13

The American Federation of Musicians went back to work after an 11�-month strike. During the strike, there was an 11�-month ban on phonograph records as well.

Ref: 4

1949

Dec 07

The A.F.L. and the C.I.O. organize a non-Communist international trade union.

Ref: 2

1952

Jan 08

Joseph Arendt Belgian worker's union leader, dies at 66.

Ref: 5

General strike against French colonial management in Tunisia.

Ref: 5

Jul 24

Pres Truman settles 53-day steel strike.

Ref: 5

1955

Armed military action taken against bureaucratic strike in Amsterdam.

Ref: 5

Apr 30

West German unions protest for 40-hour work week & more wages.

Ref: 5

Aug 12

Pres Eisenhower raises minimum wage from $0.75 to $1 an hour.

Ref: 5

1956

Mar 10

General strike in Cyprus protesting exile of archbishop Makarios.

Ref: 5

Mar 20

Union workers ended a 156-day strike at Westinghouse Electric Corp.

Ref: 5

Apr 05

Columnist Victor Riesel, a crusader against labor racketeers, was blinded in New York City when a hired assailant threw sulfuric acid in his face.

Ref: 59

1957

Dec 06

AFL-CIO members voted to expel the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. (The Teamsters were readmitted in 1987.)

Ref: 70

1959

West Germany introduces 5 day work week.

Ref: 5

Sep 14

The Landrum-Griffin Act passes, restricting union activity.

Ref: 59

1960

Jan 30

Dutch communist trade union EVC'58 disbands.

Ref: 5

Protest strike in Poznan Poland.

Ref: 5

Dutch Builders strike for CLA.

Ref: 5

May 19

Belgian parliament requires rest day for self employed.

Ref: 5

1961

Jan 04

Longest recorded strike ends-33 years-Danish barbers' assistants.

Ref: 5

1962

Bus boycott starts in Macon GA.

Ref: 5

May 25

US unions AFL-CIO starts campaign for 35-hour work week.

Ref: 5

Dec 08

Striking workers of the International Typographical Union closed nine NY City newspapers. The strike lasted 114 days, ending on April 1, 1963. A total of 5,700,000 readers were affected by the shutdown. It made people turn on radio and TV, of course.

Ref: 4

1963

Mar 01

200,000 French mine workers strike.

Ref: 5

The longest newspaper strike in U.S. history ended. The 9 major newspapers in New York City had ceased publication over 100 days before.

Ref: 5

Nov 16

Toledo, OH newspaper strike began.

Ref: 5

1964

Mar 04

Jimmy Hoffa convicted of jury tampering.

Ref: 5

Mar 12

Jimmy Hoffa sentenced to 8 years.

Ref: 5

Apr 18

Artisans strike in Belgium ends.

Ref: 5

Jul 26

Teamsters president Jimmy Hoffa and six others were convicted of fraud and conspiracy in the handling of a union pension fund.

Ref: 70

1965

South Africa worker's union leader Henry Fazzie sentenced to 10 years.

Ref: 5

Dec 10

Dutch ends economic boycott of Rhodesia.

Ref: 5

Dec 17

Dutch government shuts Limburgs coal mine.

Ref: 5

1966

12 day transit worker strike shuts down New York City NY subway.

Ref: 5

Jan 12

12 day New York City NY transit strike ends.

Ref: 5

Belgian state police kills 2 striking mine workers.

Ref: 5

1967

Teamster president Jimmy Hoffa begins 8-year jail sentence for defrauding the union & jury tampering (commuted Dec 23, 1971).

Ref: 5

Mar 29

The first nationwide strike in the 30-year history of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) began this day, lasting for 13 days. Many familiar faces were absent from the TV screen during the strike, including that of Walter Cronkite of CBS News. A chap named Arnold Zenker, formerly a radio announcer in Wilmington, DE, got the call to fill in for Cronkite during that period. After the strike was settled, Zenker was never heard from again on network television.

Ref: 4

1968

First US Teachers strike (Florida).

Ref: 5

Apr 18

178,000 employees of US Bell Telephone System go on strike.

Ref: 5

Apr 19

Belgian construction workers strike.

Ref: 5

May 02

Student riots in Paris begin; Left Bank occupied; in following 3 weeks,10 million workers go on strike

Ref: 10

1970

Neth Christian Workers Union (NCW) forms.

Ref: 5

Jan 05

23,000 Belgian mine workers strike.

Ref: 5

Jul 29

United Farm Workers forced California grape growers to sign an agreement after a five-year strike.

Ref: 59

Dec 17

Gdansk, Poland shipworkers strike.

Ref: 5

1971

Dec 03

President Nixon commutes Jimmy Hoffa's jail term.

Ref: 5

1972

British government declares state of emergency after month-long miners' strike.

Ref: 5

1973

Feb 28

Suriname government of Sedney arrests 13 union leaders.

Ref: 5

Apr 06

Harbor strike in Gent/Antwerp, Belgium.

Ref: 5

1974

Jan 06

England begins 3 day work week during mine strike.

Ref: 5

Feb 05

British mine strike.

Ref: 5

First general striking in Ethiopia.

Ref: 5

1975

Jan 09

600 employees of Royal Canadian Mint go on strike.

Ref: 5

600 employees of Royal Canadian Mint go on strike.

Ref: 5

Jul 31

Former Teamsters union president Jimmy Hoffa disappeared in suburban Detroit. Although presumed dead, his remains have never been found.

Ref: 68

1977

Feb 28

Harbor strike in Rotterdam/Amsterdam ends.

Ref: 5

1978

Jan 26

Strikers riot in Tunisia, killing about 40.

Ref: 5

May 23

General strike in Peru.

Ref: 5

Jun 07

A federal grand jury in Miami indicted 22 labor union officials and shipping executives for kickbacks, embezzlement, and other illegal activities, surfacing the UNIRAC undercover investigation. Eventually more than 110 convictions were recorded, including Anthony M. Scotto, longshoreman union leader and organized crime figure.

Ref: 14

Jul 04

Memphis firefighters halt 3-day strike under a court order.

Ref: 5

1980

Aug 31

Poland's Solidarity labor movement was born with an agreement signed in Gdansk that ended a 17-day-old strike.

Ref: 5

Sep 17

Solidarity labor union in Poland forms.

Ref: 5

Polish government legalizes independent labor union Solidarity.

Ref: 5

1981

Lech Walesa announces an accord in Poland, giving Saturdays off to laborers.

Ref: 2

Apr 22

10,000 copper workers in Chile strike.

Ref: 5

Apr 22

Almost 1 million West German metal workers on strike.

Ref: 5

Aug 03

Federal air traffic controllers began a nationwide strike after their union rejected the government's final offer for a new contract. Most of the 13,000 striking controllers defied the back-to-work order, and were dismissed by President Reagan on 5 August.

Ref: 5

Aug 05

Most of the 13,000 striking federal air traffic controllers are dismissed by President Reagan after they refuse a return to work order on August 3rd.

Ref: 5

1982

Dec 15

Roy Williams, Teamsters president, & 4 others convicted of bribery.

Ref: 5

1983

Jan 07

August Cool Belgian trade union leader, dies at 79.

Ref: 5

Aug 07

Some 675,000 employees strike AT&T.

Ref: 5

1984

Mar 12

National Union of Mine Workers in England begin a 51 week strike.

Ref: 5

1985

Mar 03

National Union of Mine Workers in England end a 51 week strike.

Ref: 5

Jun 27

First hotel strike in NY.

Ref: 5

1986

Jan 06

Impala Platinum fires 20,000 black mine workers in Johannesburg.

Ref: 5

Apr 12

20,000 mine workers protest closing of Hasselt Belgium mines.

Ref: 5

Jun 16

1 day general strike in South Africa.

Ref: 5

Oct 06

1,700 female flight attendants won an 18-year lawsuit (which included $37 million in damages) against United Arilines, which had fired them for getting married.

Ref: 59

1987

United Steelworkers union ratified a concessionary contract with USX Corp.

Ref: 5

163 day strike against Deere & Company ends, workers accept wage freeze.

Ref: 5

Feb 02

Largest steel strike in American history, in progress since August, ends.

Ref: 2

Thirty years after it was expelled for refusing to answer allegations of corruption, the Teamsters union was welcomed back into the AFL-CIO by a vote of the labor federation's executive council in Miami Beach, Fla.

Ref: 70

NBC technicians accept pact, end 118 day strike.

Ref: 5

1988

Spanish general strike to protest austerity measures.

Ref: 5

1989

Feb 25

First independent blue-collar labor union in Communist Hungary forms.

Ref: 5

Mar 03

Machinists strike Eastern Airlines; pilots honor picket lines.

Ref: 5

Mar 04

Eastern Airlines machinists strike.

Ref: 5

Apr 17

Polish labor union granted legal status.

Ref: 5

Apr 17

Maximum New York State unemployment benefits raised to $245 per week.

Ref: 5

May 25

Eastern Airlines graduates its first class of non-union pilots.

Ref: 5

Aug 06

Pilot Union tells pilots okay to cross Eastern picket lines.

Ref: 5

Sep 17

Ninety-eight miners and a minister occupied the the Pittston Coal Company's Moss 3 preparation plant in Carbo, Virginia, beginning a year-long strike against Pittston Coal. While a month-long Soviet coal strike dominated U.S. news broadcasts, the year-long Pittston strike garnered almost no mainstream press coverage whatsoever.

Ref: 59

Nov 23

Pilots Union give up sympathy strike against Eastern Airlines.

Ref: 5

1990

Mar 02

Greyhound Bus goes on strike.

Ref: 5

Apr 12

Greyhound Bus hires new drivers to replace strikers.

Ref: 5

Sep 17

Newspaper Guild votes 242-35 to keep NY Post publishing.

Ref: 5

Oct 25

NY Daily News goes on strike (lasts through March, 1991).

Ref: 5

1991

Apr 17

Railroad workers go on strike in the US.

Ref: 5

1992

Maximum New York State unemployment benefits raised to $300 per week.

Ref: 5

Labor strike at Royal Canadian Mint ends.

Ref: 5

Apr 14

UAW ends 5 month strike against Caterpillar Inc.

Ref: 5

1993

Sep 03

The US Labor Department reports the nation's unemployment edged down to a two year low of 6.7% the previous month. (XDG, p 4A, 9/03/2003)

Ref: 83

1996

Teamsters President Ron Carey won election to a second term (however, the results were later overturned and Carey barred from a rerun vote by a court-appointed monitor who ruled that Carey had used union money for his campaign).

Ref: 64

1997

Aug 04

Teamsters went on a 15-day strike against United Parcel Service after talks broke down with nation's largest package delivery service.

Ref: 70

1998

Feb 13

The United Auto Workers reach a tentative agreement with Caterpillar Inc. (Union members rejected the agreement, which was revised and later ratified, ending a bitter, 6� year dispute.) (XDG, p 4A, 2/13/2003)

Ref: 83

Jun 06

A strike at a General Motors parts factory near Detroit closed five assembly plants and idled workers nationwide; the walkout lasted seven weeks.

Ref: 70

Sep 10

Northwest Airlines and its striking pilots announce an agreement to end a nearly 2-week old walkout. (XDG, p 4A, 9/10/2003)

Ref: 83

Dec 05

James P. Hoffa won the Teamsters presidency after challenger Tom Leedham conceded defeat in the union's presidential election. Leedham said it was difficult to compete against Hoffa�s name recognition, financing and more than four years of campaigning for the top post of the largest private sector union in the U.S.

Ref: 4

1999

Swarms of anxious travelers are left stranded when American Airlines again scrubs more than 1000 flights after its pilots defy a court order and continued their mass sickout. (XDG, p 4A, 2/12/2004)

Ref: 83

Jul 09

The Wall Street Journal reports on page 1 that an Oakland California dock strike ended when crane operators returned to work after a two-day walkout over safety issues.

Ref: 33

2000

Boeing Co. engineers and technical workers began a 40-day strike.

Ref: 70

Aug 06

Workers at Verizon, the nation's largest local telephone company, went on an 18-day strike over working conditions and union representation.

Ref: 6

Aug 10

The CA State Legislature approved a bill to make March 31, the birthday of the late labor leader Cesar Chavez (he died in 1993), a holiday for state workers. Gov. Gray Davis signed the bill into law on August 18.

Ref: 4

2002

Jul 17

In Britain, a one-day strike by 750,000 municipal employees closed schools, libraries and recreation centers in their first national walkout in more than two decades. (XDG, p 4A, 7/17/2003)

Ref: 83

Sep 29

West Coast longshoremen were ordered off their jobs for a second time in a costly labor dispute with shipping lines.

Ref: 70

Oct 08

A federal judge approved President Bush's request to reopen West Coast ports, ending a caustic 10-day labor lockout that was cost the US economy an estimated $1B to $2B per day. (XDG, p 4A, 10/08/2003)

Ref: 83

2003

Jan 14

Thousands of General Electric Co. employees across the country begin a two-day strike protesting higher health insurance costs. (XDG, p 4A, 1/14/2004)

Ref: 83