Today in labor history 7-17

[Omaha Steve]

There is nothing listed at the site for today. But I did miss posting these for yesterday. I was 1/2 asleep when I did this. :-)

July 16

Ten thousand workers strike Chicago’s International Harvester operations - 1919

Martial law declared in strike by longshoremen in Galveston, Texas - 1920

San Francisco Longshoreman’s strike spreads, becomes four-day general strike - 1934

[whistle]

1. BushCo and conservatives view those events as terrorist acts from the past

...the democratic party should add this to their platform for the 2008 election as politically most transportation labor contracts are converging in 2008 and 2009:

<snip>
Labor
Notes
General Transportation Strike Looming in 2008?

By Meredith Schafer and Chris Kutalik

printer friendly version


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Millions of dollars of goods sat on the docks of the United States’ largest port, Los Angeles/ Long Beach, as port truckers, mostly Latino immigrants, struck on May 1, 2006. Despite being organized informally in small networks, the truckers were able to use their position to multiply their power. Skip ahead to 2008 and imagine an even grander scenario. Instead of a small, determined group in one locale mining a strategic position, imagine the power of hundreds of thousands of workers who control the flow of goods—from the docks to the airports to the truck barns and package centers—using their leverage in one concerted, nationwide effort.

Sound like fantasy? In the spring and summer of 2008, master contracts will expire throughout the economically vital transportation, warehousing, and distribution industries, giving unions in those linked areas the rare, strategic opportunity to make an impressive show of force against employers.

The Teamsters union—which now includes newly merged rail workers along with their traditional core of truck drivers and warehouse workers—will see its three largest national contracts expire in 2008. The National Master Freight Agreement expires March 31, while the UPS master contract and the National Master Auto Transportation Agreement (covering carhaul workers) expire that same year. In all, the contracts cover over 300,000 workers (238,000 at UPS alone)—most in areas where a job disruption could have a tremendous economic impact.

Similarly, nearly all contracts for major U.S. airlines expire in 2008 and 2009. Thomas Kochan, an expert on labor relations at the airlines, believes that the close expiration dates of these contracts will potentially put unions in a “united front” in which employers will find it more difficult than in past years to divide different crafts and work groups in the industry.
<MORE>

http://zmagsite.zmag.org/Dec2006/schafer1206.html