Labor History

1910s-1920s Today in Labor History January 7, 1919: Argentina’s “Bloody Week” (AKA Tragic Week) began in Buenos Aires. Workers were demonstrating for the 8-hour work day. The authorities opened fire, killing four and wounding 30. Clashes with the authorities on the day of the funerals left another 50 dead. In response, they called for a […]

Today in Labor History January 6, 1839: The Night of the Big Wind, the most damaging storm in 300 years, hit Ireland and the UK. It damaged over 20% of the houses in Dublin. 42 ships were wrecked. Hundreds of people died. Carl Sandburg Today in Labor History January 6, 1878: Author-poet Carl Sandburg was born on

Today in Labor History January 9, 1349: The residents of Basel, Switzerland rounded up and imprisoned all the Jewish residents of the city. Then they set fire to them, slaughtering as many as 100 people in the Basel Massacre. They thought the Jews had caused the Black Death by poisoning the wells. The victims of

1800s Today in Labor History January 5, 1869: Isaac Meyers and Frederick Douglass organized the First U.S. National Colored Convention. At the convention, they created the Colored National Labor Union. At the time, white unions routinely refused to accept African American members or to show solidarity with black workers. Additionally, employers often hired black scabs

1870s Today in Labor History January 3, 1870: Construction began on the Brooklyn Bridge by the corrupt Tammany Hall-controlled New York Bridge Company. According to sworn testimony, Boss Tweed facilitated up to $65,000 in bribes to city aldermen to get their backing for a $1.5 million bond. He then became the primary holder of bridge stock. He