1938 Pecan Sheller Strike

Studying labor strikes is very important part of American History.   In 1938, twelve thousand pecan shellers went on strike for three months in San Antonio, Texas to protest poor working conditions and low pay.    The mostly Hispanic women worked ten hour days and were paid three dollars weekly.  At the time, company owners preferred human shellers over mechanized shelling for the sake of profit.  After 37 days of protests, both strikers and pecan shelling companies agreed to arbitration.  The three person board ruled in favor of the strikers, ordering higher wages and officially acknowledging the International Pecan Shellers Union.  

Margaret Haley

Margaret Haley organized the Chicago Teachers Federation in 1898 and led a successful fight to win back taxes from corporations to raise teachers' pay.  She argued that it was a “democratic ideal” to include unions in the education field.  Haley pushed for higher salaries, tenure, pensions, less crowded classrooms and greater recognition for teachers as professionals.  In addition, she was an adamant supporter of women’s right to vote.  Be sure to include Haley when discussing progressives such as Theodore Roosevelt, Samuel Gompers, and the Knights of Labor.   

Delano Grape Hero

The historic Delano Grape strike of 1965 lasted five years.  The efforts and struggles of the Mexican and Filipino farmers are well recorded.  The boycott and strike was led by Cesar Chavez.  During the strike he went on a hunger strike to support his cause. His bravery is well recorded in American history books.  But, did you know that Larry Itliong was the original labor leader to organize the farmers.  When the Mexicans went on strike, Filipinos were used as strikebreakers.  When the Filipinos went on strike, Mexicans were used as strikebreakers.  Itliong was one of the first to recognize this pattern.  (PBS Episode Huelga) The leadership and smarts of Larry Itliong is too often forgotten by history books.

Louis Tikas

Some of the largest labor protests can be found in the textbooks.  Students often study the Great Railroad Strike,  Haymarket Riot and the Homestead Strike.  Here is another tragic labor revolt in 1914 that is often overlooked.  In the Sangre de Christos Mountains of Colorado,  the Union of Mine Workers organized a large labor strike in 1913.  They fought for safer working conditions and workers rights.  The struggle led to the murder of the union leader Louis Tikas and a massacre of innocent families.  Read about in the Ludlow Article.



                                                       

Amazon vs. The Little Man

This New York Times article is a great addition to any study on workers rights.  Somali workers threatening to walk out on one of the busiest days of the year. I used it this year to discuss the value of organizing.  The kids really connected.  We discussed Amazon's recruiting strategies and philosophies.  Many connections were made to the strikes of the Industrial Revolution.