Today in labor history April 12

[Omaha Steve]

April 12

An early union of steel workers, the United Sons of Vulcan, is formed in Pittsburgh - 1858

April 12, 1900 - Florence Reece was born. Active in the Harlan County, Kentucky, coal strikes, she was author of the famous labor song “Which Side Are You On?”



April 12, 1900 - The Stonewear and Potters Union No. 8302 was founded in Red Wing, Minn. The Red Wing Stoneware Company produced dinnerware, crocks and decorative pottery from 1877-1967.

April 12, 1937 - The U.S. Supreme Court, on a 5-4 vote, upheld the Wagner Act in a series of decisions involving five separate cases. The most significant was probably the case involving Jones & Laughlin Steel Co., in which Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes wrote the majority decision approving the Wagner Act as falling under the Congress’ constitutional power to regulate interstate commerce. The Wagner Act, also known as the National Labor Relations Act, created the structure for collective bargaining in the United States.

[pnorman]

1. Florence Reece

Wisdom for our time from Florence Reese

Which Side Are You On?

Come all of you good workers
Good news to you I'll tell
Of how that good old union
Has come in here to dwell

(Chorus)
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?

My daddy was a miner
And I'm a miner's son
And I'll stick with the union
Till every battle's won

They say in Harlan County
There are no neutrals there
You'll either be a union man
Or a thug for J.H. Blair

Oh, workers can you stand it?
Oh, tell me how you can
Will you be a lousy scab
Or will you be a man?

Don't scab for the bosses
Don't listen to their lies
Us poor folks haven't got a chance
Unless we organize

http://gotv.blogspot.com/2004/12/wisdom-for-our-time-from-florence.html

Also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Reece

pnorman
On edit: Also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N43Cm6ra0hY&feature=PlayList&p=89D212188AD35AEF&index=9