Little Steel Strike

Little Steel Strike was a labor strike that took place in the United States from May 26 to July 19, 1937, involving workers from the Steel Workers Organizing Committee (SWOC), led by John L. Lewis and Philip Murray, against several major steel producers, including Republic Steel, Youngstown Sheet and Tube, and Inland Steel. The strike was a response to the companies' refusal to recognize the SWOC as the collective bargaining representative of their employees, as mandated by the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, signed into law by Franklin D. Roosevelt. The strike was also supported by other labor unions, such as the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) and the American Federation of Labor (AFL), led by William Green and John L. Lewis.

● Introduction

The Little Steel Strike was a significant labor dispute in the United States that involved workers from the steel industry, particularly those employed by Republic Steel, Youngstown Sheet and Tube, and Inland Steel. The strike was led by the Steel Workers Organizing Committee (SWOC), which was affiliated with the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), founded by John L. Lewis and Sidney Hillman. The SWOC was established in 1936 with the goal of organizing steelworkers and improving their working conditions, wages, and benefits, as outlined in the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933, signed into law by Franklin D. Roosevelt. The strike was also supported by other labor unions, such as the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), led by John L. Lewis, and the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (ACWA), led by Sidney Hillman.

● Background

The steel industry in the United States was a major sector of the economy, with companies like U.S. Steel, Republic Steel, and Bethlehem Steel dominating the market, and leaders like Charles M. Schwab and Myron C. Taylor playing key roles. However, the industry was also known for its poor working conditions, low wages, and lack of benefits for workers, as highlighted by the La Follette Committee and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), established by Franklin D. Roosevelt. The National Labor Relations Act of 1935, signed into law by Franklin D. Roosevelt, guaranteed workers the right to form and join labor unions, engage in collective bargaining, and strike, as seen in the Lawrence Textile Strike and the Gastonia Textile Strike. The SWOC, led by John L. Lewis and Philip Murray, was established to organize steelworkers and negotiate better working conditions, wages, and benefits with the steel companies, as supported by the American Federation of Labor (AFL), led by William Green.

● The Strike

The Little Steel Strike began on May 26, 1937, when workers from the SWOC went on strike against Republic Steel, Youngstown Sheet and Tube, and Inland Steel, with the support of other labor unions, such as the United Automobile Workers (UAW), led by Walter Reuther, and the Textile Workers Union of America (TWUA), led by Sidney Hillman. The strike was sparked by the companies' refusal to recognize the SWOC as the collective bargaining representative of their employees, as mandated by the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, and to negotiate a contract that would improve working conditions, wages, and benefits, as seen in the Treaty of Detroit and the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, signed into law by Franklin D. Roosevelt. The strike involved over 70,000 workers and was marked by violence, particularly in Chicago, where police clashed with strikers, resulting in the deaths of 10 workers and the injury of many others, as investigated by the La Follette Committee and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

● Key Events and Outcomes

One of the key events of the strike was the Memorial Day massacre of 1937, in which police fired on a crowd of strikers and their families, killing 10 people and injuring many others, as documented by the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), led by Roger Baldwin. The massacre was widely condemned, and it helped to galvanize public support for the strikers, as seen in the statements of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt. The strike ultimately ended on July 19, 1937, when the steel companies agreed to recognize the SWOC as the collective bargaining representative of their employees and to negotiate a contract, as facilitated by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), established by Franklin D. Roosevelt. The contract, which was signed in 1937, provided for improved working conditions, wages, and benefits for steelworkers, as seen in the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933 and the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.

● Aftermath and Legacy

The Little Steel Strike was a significant victory for labor unions in the United States, as it marked one of the first major successes of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) and the Steel Workers Organizing Committee (SWOC), led by John L. Lewis and Philip Murray. The strike helped to establish the SWOC as a major force in the steel industry and paved the way for future labor organizing efforts, as seen in the United Steelworkers (USW) and the AFL-CIO, led by George Meany and Lane Kirkland. The strike also highlighted the importance of collective bargaining and the need for workers to have a strong voice in the workplace, as emphasized by the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 and the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, signed into law by Harry S. Truman. The legacy of the Little Steel Strike can be seen in the many labor unions and organizations that have followed in its footsteps, including the United Automobile Workers (UAW), the Teamsters, and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), led by Walter Reuther, Jimmy Hoffa, and John Sweeney.

● Impact on Labor Relations

The Little Steel Strike had a significant impact on labor relations in the United States, as it marked a major shift in the balance of power between workers and employers, as seen in the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 and the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, signed into law by Franklin D. Roosevelt. The strike helped to establish the principle of collective bargaining and the right of workers to form and join labor unions, as emphasized by the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) and the American Federation of Labor (AFL), led by John L. Lewis and William Green. The strike also led to the creation of new labor laws and regulations, such as the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, signed into law by Harry S. Truman, and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), established by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Today, the Little Steel Strike is remembered as an important milestone in the history of labor relations in the United States, and its legacy continues to inspire labor organizing efforts and advocacy for workers' rights, as seen in the work of the AFL-CIO, the United Steelworkers (USW), and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), led by Richard Trumka, Leo Gerard, and Mary Kay Henry. Category:Labor disputes in the United States