Today in Labor History

Today in #LaborHistory: July 31 -via- unionist.com

Members of the National Football League Players Association begin what is to be a two-day strike, their first. The issues: pay, pensions, the right to arbitration and the right to have agents - 1970

"He rallied disparate players from two different leagues to “one team” and the NFLPA became the first sports union recognized by the National Labor Relations Board. In 1970, Mackey organized the league’s first players’ strike, a victory that earned an additional $11 million in pensions and benefits." - from http://www.thenation.com/blog/161849/john-mackey-death-football-and-union-legend#
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"However, when the owners threatened to discard the entire 1970 season, the players returned to work and there were no canceled games." - from http://voices.yahoo.com/time-out-history-nfl-strikes-lockouts-8234623.html?cat=14

"The 1970 battle took a toll. Following the negotiations, many player reps were let go by their teams and John Mackey was traded to San Diego, where he was essentially forced to give up his career." - from https://www.nflplayers.com/About-us/History/See More

 

 

 

 

July 31

Members of the National Football League Players Association begin what is to be a two-day strike, their first. The issues: pay, pensions, the right to arbitration and the right to have agents - 1970

Fifty-day baseball strike ends - 1981

The Great Shipyard Strike of 1999 ends after Steelworkers at Newport News Shipbuilding ratify a breakthrough agreement which nearly doubles pensions, increases security, ends inequality, and provides the highest wage increases in company and industry history to nearly 10,000 workers at the yard. The strike lasted 15 weeks - 1999