Today in Labor History May 29, 1798: The British authorities executed 300-500 members of the United Irishmen because of their role in the recent Irish Rebellion.
1830s-1850s
May 29, 1830: Anarchist Louise Michel, was born in Vroncourt, France. Michel, also known as The Red Virgin, was a leader of the Paris Commune.
Today in Labor History May 29, 1854: Civil rights activist, Lydia Flood Jackson, opened the first school for black children in Sacramento, California. Jackson was a member of the black petty bourgeoisie. Her father taught her how to invest in real estate. As a result, that business supported her through her life. However, she also developed a line of beauty products known as “Flood Toilet Cremes.” She fought most of her life for African American civil rights and women’s rights. She was the first legislative chair of the California State Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs. She was also a member of the Fannie Jackson Coppin Club and the Native Daughter’s Club.
1880s
Today in Labor History May 29, 1881: Chinese educator, nationalist revolutionary and anarchist Li Shizeng was born. He led the anarchist Jinde Hui group (Society for Progress and Virtue), with Wu Zhihui, & Zhang Ji. He also tried unsuccessfully to turn the Guomindang into an anarchist organization. Indeed, he is known as one of the four anti-Communist elders of the Chinese Nationalist Party.
1910s-1920s
Today in Labor History May 29, 1913: Rioting broke out at the Paris premiere of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. The rioting occurred because of antagonism between the wealthy, in the box seats, who were offended by the “ugly, earthbound lurching” of the dancers and the strange avant-garde music, and the working-class Bohemians, who loved its mocking style and despised the elites in the boxes. However, some of the rioters through objects at the orchestra, which tried to play on in spite of the disruption.
Today in Labor History May 29, 1922: The Portuguese army and police opened fire on 10,000 protesters outside the police station in Macau. The protesters wanted the release of three Chinese barbers who had beaten up soldiers for sexually harassing a Chinese woman. They shot and killed seventy people and beat up over 100. In response, workers declared a general strike.
1940s
Today in Labor History May 29, 1941: Animators working for Walt Disney begin a five-week strike for recognition of their union, the Screen Cartoonists’ Guild. Disney’s initial response was to fire them. However, the union held fast and ultimately prevailed, winning union recognition. Still, dozens of Disney’s best animators left for good, joining other studios or, as in the case of Hank Ketchum (creator of Dennis the Menace), starting their own studio, United Productions. At the time of the strike, the Disney animators were working on Dumbo. The clowns in the film were a caricature of strikers, when they “hit the big boss for a raise.”
Today in Labor History May 29, 1946: The United Mine Workers (UMWA) and the U.S. government signed a pact establishing one of America’s first union medical and pension plan. The UMWA Welfare and Retirement Fund permanently changed health care delivery in U.S. coal fields. The Fund was used to build eight hospitals in Appalachia. It also established many clinics and recruited doctors to practice in rural coal field areas.
1950s-1960s
May 29, 1950 –The United Auto Workers (UAW) at General Motors won hospitalization plan.
Today in Labor History May 29, 1967: The Poor Peoples’ Campaign was launched in Washington D.C.
May 29, 1969: Government violence triggered General Strikes in Cordoba and La Plata Argentina.
1990s-2000s
Today in Labor History May 29, 1996: The United Farm Workers of America reaches agreement with Bruce Church Inc. on a contract for 450 lettuce harvesters, ending a 17-year-long boycott. The pact raised wages, provided company-paid health benefits to workers and their families, created a seniority system to deal with seasonal layoffs and recalls, and established a pesticide monitoring system.
May 29, 2009: UAW members at General Motors accept major contract concessions in return for 17.5 percent stake in the financially struggling company.