1,300 Members Participate in Memphis Garbage Strike (February, 1968)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.afscme.org/about/1529.cfm

1,300 Members Participate in Memphis Garbage Strike (February, 1968)
Wurf Heads Union Negotiating Team Seeking Pay Hike

Public Employee, February 1968

MEMPHIS, TENN

As The Public Employee went to press, negotiations between Local 1733 and the City of Memphis were locked in virtual round the clock sessions as a strike of 1,300 sanitary public works employees here entered its second week.

Headed by International President Wurf and SCME International Field Director P.J.Ciampa, negotiators demanded a wage increase averaging 40 cents an hour. SCME negotiators forced a showdown with Memphis Mayor Henry Loeb who had insisted that he would not meet as long as the employees were out on strike.

The strike began Feb. 12 after the sanitary workers were shortchanged in pay following an agreement that they would be paid when sent home because of inclement weather. The walkout climaxed a long history of unfair treatment of the workers.

Garbage collection, sewer, water and street maintenance work was also shut down by the strike.



A highlight of the walkout was a march of the 1,300 employees from their meeting hall to City Hall. The marchers stretched a mile and a half long on the 5 mile trek to City Hall.

At City Hall the employees jammed the Council chambers and the lobby until Mayor Loeb opened the civic auditorium next door for a meeting.

FULL story at link.