Labor Leadership to Inspire Social & Economic Justice
Bill Hedrick, CTA Regional UniServ Staff Angela Su, CTA NODD School Finance Specialist Labor History--Struggles for Economic Justice
Which Side Are You On? Which Side Are You On? Which Side Are You On? Greed is all right, by the way... I think greed is healthy. ---Ivan Boesky
1958 2011 “There is enough in the world for “In a society governed passively everyone's need, but not enough by free markets and free for everyone's greed.” elections, organized greed always ---Mahatma Gandhi defeats disorganized democracy.” ---Matt Taibbi Robber Barons?
THEN NOW
“We can have a democracy or we can have great wealth in the hands of a few, but we cannot have both.”--Louis Brandeis A Question of Economic Justice Finding a Balance
• Individual and corporate greed versus social need—
• Constant tension in the American capitalist state
• For better or worse, disparities in wealth, power, and status have propelled American history and defined our national character Enormous Economic Struggles from the Inception of the American Experience • Indentured servitude • Slavery • Tidewater aristocrats vs. backcountry • Wage labor Historic Fights Against Concentrated Wealth
McCormick Harvesting Machine Strike
• "Eight-hour day with no cut in pay.” • Led to Haymarket Rally/Riot • The Haymarket affair generally considered origin of international May Day observances Ludlow Massacre—Colorado, 1914
• Dispute between the United Mine Workers of America and John D. Rockefeller • National Guard attacked a tent colony of 1,200 striking coal miners and their families • Over a ten day period, up to 200 deaths • “…the most violent struggle between corporate power and laboring men in American history”—Howard Zinn Pullman Strike
Workers refused to handle Pullman Company cars
Pres. Cleveland place the federal government at the disposal of employers—12,000 troops intervened
30 deaths, 100 wounded, in clashes—thousands blacklisted
“Labor Day” established in the wake of the strike
Eugene Debs becomes a national figure Battle of Blair Mountain West Virginia--1921 10,000 coal miners versus 5,000 mercenaries and soldiers Largest armed insurrection since the Civil War
Federal troops intervene
150+ deaths, 1,000 arrests