1800s
Today in Labor History September 16, 1810: The Mexican War of Independence began after Miguel Hidalgo issued a revolutionary tract calling for the end of 300 years of Spanish rule of Mexico, redistribution of land and racial equality.
Today in Labor History September 16, 1838: James J. Hill, founder of the Great Northern Railroad, was born. Hill went on to become one of the country’s wealthiest and most powerful men.
1920s
Today in Labor History September 16, 1920: A bomb exploded outside the J.P. Morgan Company on Wall Street, killing 30 and injuring over 100. Authorities blamed “anarchists,” forcing many to flee to Russia. The bombing was never solved, although investigators and historians now believe it was carried out by Galleanists (Italian anarchists). In particular, there is evidence that Mario Buda (1884–1963) was responsible and did it to avenge the arrests of his associates, Sacco and Vanzetti. The Wall Street bomb killed more people than the 1910 bombing of the Los Angeles Times building, which had been the deadliest terrorist act in the U.S. Several authors have written about the bombing “The Day Wall Street Exploded,” by Beverly Gage; “The Death Instinct,” by Jed Rubenfeld, and “Buda’s Wagon: A Brief History of the Car Bomb,” by Mike Davis
1930s
Today in Labor History September 16, 1936: Members of the Fruit and Vegetable Workers’ Union blocked downtown Salinas streets to stop a convoy of trucks carrying produce harvested by strikebreakers.
1940s
Today in Labor History September 16, 1945: 43,000 oil workers went on strike in 20 states. During WWII, most of the major unions collaborated with the U.S. war effort by enforcing labor “discipline” and preventing strikes. In exchange, the U.S. government supported closed shop policies under which employers at unionized companies agreed to hire only union members. While the closed shop gave unions more power within a particular company, the no-strike policy made that power virtually meaningless.
When the war ended, inflation soared and veterans flooded the labor market. As a result, frustrated workers began a series of wildcat strikes. Many grew into national, union-supported strikes. In November 1945, 225,000 UAW members went on strike. In January 1946, 174,000 electric workers struck. That same month, 750,000 steel workers joined them. Then, in April, the coal strike began. 250,000 railroad workers struck in May. In total, 4.3 million workers went on strike. It was the closest the U.S. came to a national General Strike in the 20th century. And in December 1946, Oakland, California did have a General Strike, the last in U.S. history. Overall, it was the largest strike wave in U.S. history. In 1947, Congress responded to the strike wave by enacting the Taft-Hartley Act, restricting the powers and activities of labor unions and banning the General Strike. The act is still in force today.
1980s
Today in Labor History September 16, 1982: Phalangists and Israelis massacred 400-3,500 Palestinian civilian refugees at the Shatila and Sabra camps. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) ordered the Phalangist to clear the camps of PLO fights and then watched and did nothing as they slaughtered civilians. In 1983, the Kahan Commission found that the Israeli military bore indirect responsibility by allowing it to happened under their command. The commission also blamed Ariel Sharon, then Defense Minister, forcing him to resign. This sordid past worked in his favor in the long run, as his “toughness” helped him to win the national election for Prime Minister.
Today in Labor History September 16, 1989: Thousands protested the anti-union contractor, BE&K, in St. Paul, Minnesota, which wanted to build a paper plant there, the largest demonstration ever held in the state.