Today in Labor History June 24, 2020

Agnes Nestor

This date marked the birth of Albert Parsons, Haymarket martyr. – 1848

Agnes Nestor was born. Nestor, who began working in a glove factory at age 14, helped to found the International Glove Workers Union and served in various leadership positions within the union from 1903-1948, including president. She helped organize unions in other industries, campaigned for women’s suffrage, a minimum wage, maternity health legislation, and against child labor. – 1880

Albert Parson and Agnes Nestor were born, 22 workers arrested and deported in Telluride, CO., Union leader, lawyer and politician Terence Powderly died, and more.CLICK TO TWEET

Troops arrested 22 workers in Telluride, Colorado, accused them of being strike leaders and deported them out of the Telluride district. This was a repeat of events in March, in which 60 union miners were deported. – 1904

The IWW Domestic Workers Union supplied sandwiches to dozens of draft resisters in the Duluth, Minnesota jail. – 1917

Union leader, lawyer, and politician Terence V. Powderly died. Powderly was the Grand Master Workman of the Knights of Labor, a labor organization that promoted an eight-hour workday, the end of child and convict labor, a graduated income tax, equal pay for equal work, and worker cooperatives. At its height in 1886, the Knights had over 700,000 members. – 1924

17 workers were killed as methane exploded in a water tunnel under construction in Sylmar, California. – 1971

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