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Great Southwest Railroad Strike (famous strike)
In 1886, the Knights of Labor went on strike at the Union Pacific and Missouri Pacific railroads, owned by robber baron Jay Gould. Hundreds of thousands of workers across five states refused to work, citing unsafe conditions and unfair hours and pay. The strike suffered from a lack of commitment from other railroad unions, the successful hiring of nonunion workers by Gould and from violence and scare tactics. Eventually, the strike failed and the Knights of Labor disbanded soon afterwards. -
Homestead Strike (event)
A lockout at the Homestead Steel Works turns violent as 300 Pinkerton detectives hired by the company arrive at the mills by barge. Workers picketing the plant greet the Pinkerton's with violence and the confrontation soon becomes a full-scale pitched battle, with seven Pinkertons and 11 union members killed. Court injunctions help to crush the union, safeguarding the steel industry from organized labor for decades. -
LA Times Bombing (event)
A bomb explodes at the headquarters of the stridently anti-union Los Angeles Times, killing 20 people. Eventually, two men connected with the Iron Workers Union, which has been implicated in other bombings, will confess to dynamiting the Times. -
Norris-Laguardia Act
It banned yellow-dog contracts, barred the federal courts from issuing injunctions against nonviolent labor disputes, and created a positive right of noninterference by employers against workers joining trade unions. -
Fair Labor Standards Act
Establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards affecting employees in the private sector and in Federal, State, and local governments. Covered nonexempt workers are entitled to a minimum wage of not less than $7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009. -
1946 Bituminous Coal Strike (famous Strike)
The strike came at a time when the national economy was recovering from the second World War, and president Truman saw the UMWAs actions as counterproductive to national industrial recovery. Truman approached the union with a settlement. When the workers refused the proposal, they were fined $3.5 million, forcing their agreement and the end of the strike. Although forced, most of the UMWAs demands were met in Trumans compromise. -
Teamster Corruption (event)
The Teamsters, along with Bakery Workers and Laundry Workers, are expelled from the AFL-CIO for corruption. That same year, Jimmy Hoffa is elected president of the Teamsters. He becomes a lightning rod for additional charges of mob influence and criminality. -
Age Discrimination in Employment Act
The ADEA prohibits age discrimination against job applicants and employees who are at least 40 years old. The law is enforced by the EEOC. -
1970 U.S. Postal Strike (Famous strike)
Increased dissatisfaction with wages, working conditions, benefits and management led the postal workers in New York City to strike. Encouraged by New Yorks example, postal workers nationwide followed suit. With mail and parcel delivery at a standstill, Nixon ordered the National Guard to replace the striking workers a measure that proved ineffective. The strike was so effective that within two weeks negotiations took place. -
UPS workers strike (Famous Strike)
The largest strike of the 1990s was lead by 185,000 UPS Teamsters. They were looking for the creation of full-time jobs rather than part-time, increased wages and the retention of their multiemployer pension plan. These workers gained major support from the public and eventually had all of their demands met. UPS, however, lost more than $600 million in business as a result of the ordeal.