Today in Labor History: March 23

Trial of 101 Wobblies, charged with opposing the draft and hindering the war effort, begins in Chicago – 1918

Norris-La Guardia Act restricts injunctions against unions and bans yellow dog contracts, which require newly-hired workers to declare they are not union members and will not join one – 1932

Five days into the Post Office’s first mass work stoppage in 195 years, President Nixon declares a national emergency and orders 30,000 troops to New York City to break the strike. The troops didn’t have a clue how to sort and deliver mail: a settlement came a few days later – 1970

Coalition of Labor Union Women founded in Chicago by some 3,000 delegates from 58 unions and other organizations – 1974

Fifteen workers die, another 170 are injured when a series of explosions rip through BP’s Texas City refinery. Investigators blamed a poor safety culture at the plant and found BP management gave priority to cost savings over worker safety – 2005