Today in Labor History

December 23  --  Union Communications Services, Inc.

AFL officers are found in contempt of court for urging a labor boycott of Buck's Stove and Range Co. in St Louis, where the Metal Polishers were striking for a 9-hour day - 1908

Construction workers top out the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 1,368 feet, making it the tallest building in the world - 1970
(Bigger Labor: A Crash Course for Construction Union Organizers is a comprehensive guide to construction organizing best practices. It covers everything from what to do on a picket line to tips on visiting job sites, from effective handbilling to dealing with police, from building a banner to salting. It offers building trades organizers extensive communication tips for every situation, from following up with potential recruits to effectively getting your point across at public hearings.)

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the nation's largest employer, with 1.4 million "associates," agrees to settle 63 wage and hour suits across the U.S., for a grand total of between $352 million and $640 million. It was accused of failure to pay overtime, requiring off-the-clock work, and failure to provide required meal and rest breaks - 2008