Strikers’ rally in Union Square, New York, on May Day, 1913. Check out the multi-lingual signs – two in Italian and a couple that I assume are in Yiddish. The one in English says:
ALFRED BENJAMIN’S EMPLOYEES
Our boss claims we are satisfied
We are here to prove the contrary
More info – and more historic 1 May pics – from here.
I’ve heard that there has been a victory for the Ford Visteon workers, who have staged occupations and pickets of their workplaces after they were all sacked at a moment’s notice and their factories shut down. More later. But for now, here’s some music…
Get it here.
UPDATE: Massive May Day victory for Visteon – details here. If occupying your plant after you’ve been sacked can get you £40,000 in redundancy cash, imagine what occupying before the axe descends might do… A lesson for everyone facing job cuts.
“Out at Ford here’s what they found…” Yeah, go and play that song again!
OK, I was posting comments at Flickr. Might as well have a recap here…
The Italian sign on the left is a demand for a trade union closed shop. Literally: “We ask that the shops are occupied only by unionists.”
The Yiddish sign on the left has an English message on its other visible side which looks like it is probably something along the lines of “We demand closed shops and open doors”, judging by the message on the Italian sign.
I think the other Italian sign might be something like: “Down with the spies and those who have sold out to the bosses/been bought by the bosses.”
OK, last guess for today: the Yiddish sign at the back could well be calling for an eight-hour day. That would be the likeliest reason for a big number 8 on a strikers’ placard in 1913.
Come on Yiddish and Italian speakers – we need you!
And a happy May Day 2009 to workers of all countries and languages!
Happy May Day Red!