South of Mandan
Chaotic action is preferable to orderly inaction. - Will Rogers
The official celebration of Labor Day was signed into law by
President Grover Cleveland. He didn't do it because he liked labor,
but because he was afraid if an official day wasn't given over to
labor more riots and bloodshed would occur, like that of the
so-called Haymarket Massacre.
One of the early leaders in the Industrial Workers of the World labor movement was Big Bill Haywood who effectively organized mine workers in the West. A biography of the man has been written, I've read it, and came to admire his steadfastness in the face of threats and intimidation. The Wobblies, their popular name, made enemies among the owners and management for their tough tactics.
My hometown's poet Tom McGrath wrote in his book-length poem – Letter to an Imaginary Friend - about a scene he witnessed as a boy at his uncle's threshing machine. His uncle took offense for the labor troubles occurring in his field and beat one of the Wobblies severely. Nothing settled. McGrath wrote, “My uncle was cursing the Reds, Ordering the rig to start, but no one started. The men drifted away.”
That is just one small example of labor and management's struggle. In this present time, there seems to be little mention of unionism. Plants get shut down because the workers are making too much money. Then re-open in a year or two without union representation. There was a time, though, when the Will Rogers quote made a lot of sense to union organizers.
One of the early leaders in the Industrial Workers of the World labor movement was Big Bill Haywood who effectively organized mine workers in the West. A biography of the man has been written, I've read it, and came to admire his steadfastness in the face of threats and intimidation. The Wobblies, their popular name, made enemies among the owners and management for their tough tactics.
My hometown's poet Tom McGrath wrote in his book-length poem – Letter to an Imaginary Friend - about a scene he witnessed as a boy at his uncle's threshing machine. His uncle took offense for the labor troubles occurring in his field and beat one of the Wobblies severely. Nothing settled. McGrath wrote, “My uncle was cursing the Reds, Ordering the rig to start, but no one started. The men drifted away.”
That is just one small example of labor and management's struggle. In this present time, there seems to be little mention of unionism. Plants get shut down because the workers are making too much money. Then re-open in a year or two without union representation. There was a time, though, when the Will Rogers quote made a lot of sense to union organizers.
