November Labor History

7 November 1959
The Taft-Hartley Act is invoked by the Supreme Court to break a steel strike.

9 November 1935
The Committee for Industrial Organization (CIO) was formed to expand industrial unionism.

11 November 1919
The Centralia Massacre. Violence erupted when members of the American Legion attempted to force their way into an IWW hall in Centralia, Washington during an Armistice Day anniversary celebration. Four Legionnaires were shot dead by members of the IWW, after which IWW organizer Wesley Everest was lynched by a local mob.

13 November 1914
A Western Federation of Miners strike is crushed by the militia in Butte, Montana.

21 November 1927
Picketing miners were massacred in Columbine, Colorado.

22 November 1909
The "Uprising of the 20,000." Female garment workers went on strike in New York; many were arrested. A judge told those arrested: "You are on strike against God."

23 November 1887
The Thibodaux Massacre. The Louisiana Militia, aided by bands of "prominent citizens," shot at least 35 unarmed black sugar workers striking to gain a dollar-per-day wage, and lynched two strike leaders.

23 November 1903
Troops were dispatched to Cripple Creek, Colorado to control rioting by striking coal miners.