Labor+Strikes+and+Riots

The Great Depression was a blessing in disguise for labor movements, but in ways that very few people expected. In the beginning there were sweeping layoffs and conditions worsened, as the depression began to take its toll. Businesses became frugal, producing less and employing fewer as to ride out the economic woes. But for some workers who still were employed, this was not enough. Business practices for the time were still unfair to the workers and often harsh. This led to a new kind of revolution by the working class, not an overthrow, but a campaign. They used everything they had at their disposal, and that lead to an uptick in strikes, and sometimes all out riots. San Francisco Played host to one of the most major strikes of the time, which was known as the Longshoremans Strike. Beginning on May 9, 1934, a strike took hold when dock workers, striving for better pay and conditions began their strike. The strike effectively blocked up the coastline and the marinas with it, leaving goods and ships stranded out in the ocean. The peacefulness of the strike would not last, as replacement workers were first brought in. On June 3, 1934, clashes broke out between the SFPD and the striking union members. This was the beginning of the riots in San Francisco. After a brief lull on June 4, the largest riot of the strike would occur, known as "Bloody Thursday." (San Francisco News)

Hostilities were consistent on the fifth, with each side mounting an attack, retreating and taking stock again. However, the fight only devolved from there, as evening approached. Reportedly a group of workers surrounded a police car and attempted to tip a police car over. This led to police firing shotguns into the air, and then firing at the group. One policeman fired a shotgun into the crowd, hitting three people. Two of the three died from their wounds, and the site where they were wounded quickly became both a memorial and a rallying point for strikers as police attempted to drive them off. The mayhem continued as the governor of the time Frank Merriam called in the National Guard to help suppress the violence, and the protestors complied.

The GM strike in Flint, Michigan would also impact labor strikes, by introducing the sit-down strike in a new capacity, as workers slowly took over factories and held their positions, making production impossible for GM. They would eventually cave, giving in to the workers much as had happened in the Longshoremans' Strike. (Swogger)