Labor History Archives - Page 2 of 3 - UFCW 324

For every labor union that exists, there is an individual who symbolizes the essence of the organization and the Labor Movement. These individuals, through their actions or personalities, have acted as lighthouses, giving members direction while illuminating the great cause of Labor. The Teamsters have Jimmy Hoffa, the Longshoremen Harry Bridges, and the UFCW Addie […]

On Nov. 19, 1915, Joe Hill sat facing a five-man firing squad on the grounds inside Utah State Prison. He seemed to be enjoying the last few minutes of his life despite being strapped to a chair, blind-folded with a paper target covering his heart. As the squad prepared to pull their triggers, Hill was […]

Submarine sandwiches have become a staple of American lunches. Depending on the region, these sandwiches may be called by various names: Grinder, Hero, Hoagie, Torpedo or simply Sub. All have their own subtle qualities and history, but one variation of the Sub should spark an interest to every friend of labor – the Po-boy. Born […]

For 10 days in 1921, nearly 15,000 union miners clashed against company-paid deputies and state police in the mining hills of West Virginia. This incident, known as the Battle of Blair Mountain, was not only the largest labor uprising but also the largest armed insurrection on U.S. soil since the Civil War. The battle would […]

Memorial Day is a National holiday created to remember those in the military who have sacrificed to preserve our freedom. For Organized Labor, however, the holiday takes on another kind of remembrance. On May 30, 1937, many civilians paid the price to preserve our freedom. On that day, ten members of Organized Labor died and […]

It is said that behind every great man stands a woman. However, often times a woman refuses to be forced into this supportive role. Such is the case with Lucy Parsons, a woman whose influence spanned well into two centuries and who refused to allow herself to be subjugated to second-class citizenship, regardless of race […]

On September 15, 1933, a young, New York labor organizer by the name of Rose Pesotta landed in Los Angeles. Pesotta once worked in Southern California where she had been discharged from a garment factory and blacklisted for union activity. Now Pesotta was returning at the request of garment workers to organize their industry. Within […]

Few who have seen the movie, Norma Rae, could forget the powerful image of Sally Fields as she stood on her workstation with a sign that read “union,” moments after her character was terminated for organizing. This moment would inspire anyone whose natural tendency is to fight for dignity and respect. Some, however, may be […]

For two days in December of 1946, the streets of Oakland were host to a worker’s holiday. Nearly 130,000 workers refused to work, shutting down commerce in the East Bay, and instead they flooded the streets in a show of solidarity against union busting. What started off as a small retail clerk strike grew into […]

On August 24, 1939, three men stood above a small metal trashcan with a copy of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath in hand. As a newspaper photographer snaps a shot, Clell Pruett, a local sharecropper, tosses the book into the trashcan, which was then followed by a match. Pruett, along with his boss, the […]