This Month in Union History: February

This Month in Union History

Feb. 16-17, 1936 – Rubber workers at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. in Akron, Ohio, launch a sit-down strike to protest wage cuts and speed-ups. By staying inside the factory, they prevented non-union workers from taking their jobs and forced management to negotiate.

Feb. 4, 1937 – 37,000 maritime workers on the West Coast strike for wage increases, disrupting shipping in a major escalation of the Pacific Coast maritime strike that began in 1936.

Feb. 22, 1968 – After Memphis’ mayor hires scabs and blocks picketing, striking AFSCME Local 1733 sanitation workers storm a City Council meeting demanding action. When their demands were ignored, they took to the streets in protest.