Today in Labor History

May 09  --  Union Communications Services, Inc.

Japanese workers strike at Oahu, Hawaii’s Aiea Plantation, demanding the same pay as Portuguese and Puerto Rican workers. Ultimately 7,000 workers and their families remained out until August, when the strike was broken - 1909

Legendary Western Federation of Miners leader William “Big Bill” Haywood goes on trial for murder in the bombing death of former Idaho governor Frank Steunenberg, who had brutally suppressed the state’s miners. Haywood ultimately was declared innocent - 1907

Longshoremen’s strike to gain control of hiring leads to general work stoppage, San Francisco Bay area - 1934

Hollywood studio mogul Louis B. Mayer recognizes the Screen Actors Guild.  SAG leaders reportedly were bluffing when they told Mayer that 99 percent of all actors would walk out the next morning unless he dealt with the union.  Some 5,000 actors attended a victory gathering the following day at Hollywood Legion Stadium; a day later, SAG membership increased 400 percent - 1937

United Auto Workers President Walter Reuther and his wife May die in a plane crash as they travel to oversee construction of the union’s education and training facility at Black Lake, Mich. - 1971

Four thousand garment workers, mostly Hispanic, strike for union recognition at the Farah Manufacturing Co. in El Paso, Texas - 1972

(The Union Steward’s Guide, Spanish 2nd edition: This bound, 158-page compilation contains more than 130 articles from the Spanish language edition of Steward Update newsletter, read today by more than 70,000 stewards across North America.)

Working Class Heroes

As a proud Teamster, I'm posting this American Federation of Teachers logo in support of Liz Ellis who is attending tonight's membership meeting with Joyce McCreary, both of whom are "suspended" as Executive Board members of Dearborn Federation of School Employees Local 4750.

They were asked to leave last month's union membership meeting by the executive board because they were "suspended," but REFUSED to do so.

They will not be intimidated.

Their egregious crime? Continuing to communicating and educating DFSE 4750 members about serious concerns and actions conducted by anti-AFT forces on the board who then brought bogus charges against Liz and Joyce. These forces want to disaffiliate the local union from AFT and AFT Michigan.

Liz and Joyce are standing strong for their international union -- the American Federation of Teachers! ...via a Friend and Brother -Mel