Today in Labor History May 5, 1931: The Infamous Battle of Harlan County, Kentucky occurred. Also known as the Battle of Evarts, the strike began in response to wage cuts implemented in February. On May 5, a scab accosted a union worker, resulting in three deaths. Governor Flem Sampson called in the National Guard, which killed several more union miners. The Harlan County class war was the inspiration for Florence Reece's famous union song "Which Side Are You On?" The strike continued for years, with the miners finally winning in 1940.
Today in Labor History May 5, 1886: The Bay View Massacre occurred in Milwaukee, one day after the Haymarket bombing, in Chicago. Workers in both cities were demonstrating for the 8-hour work-day. There were approximately 1,400 strikes that year for the 8-hour day. In Milwaukee, the governor called out the state militia. They shot and killed seven protesters, including a 14-year-old boy. No militiamen were ever charged. However, the authorities convicted fifty of the strikers and sentenced them to hard labor for "rioting."
Today in Labor History May 5, 1884: The Knights of Labor struck at Jay Gould’s Union Pacific over wage cuts and won. Because of their success in this strike, their membership rapidly grew. However, when the Knights struck again, in 1886, Gould defeated them and the union quickly started to unravel. 200,000 workers participated in the Great Southwest Train Strike of 1886. Gould hired Pinkertons to infiltrate union and to work as scabs. The Governor of Missouri mustered the National Guards. The Governor of Texas used the National Guards and the Texas Rangers against the strikers. At least ten people died during the strike.
Today in Labor History May 5, 1882: Sylvia Pankhurst was born on this day. Plankhurst was a leader of the English women's suffrage movement. She was also a left (council) communist activist and follower of Anton Pannekoek. In her “Constitution for British Soviets,” she argued that "Mothers and … organizers of the family life of the community [should] be adequately represented, and … take their due part in the management of society [through] a system of household Soviets..."