Erik Loomis
@erikloomis.bsky.social
Labor and environmental historian. Writer of books, teacher of American horrors, talker on labor movement. Beer, country music, and football are not just for the right wingers. Cats. The West. Music. Graves. Writes at https://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/
This Day in Labor History: November 10, 1933. Workers at the Hormel plant in Austin, Minnesota sat down on the job. The win these workers achieved helped set up the labor militancy of the New Deal era that revolutionized the lives of American labor!!!!
November 10, 2025 at 1:17 PM
This Day in Labor History: November 10, 1933. Workers at the Hormel plant in Austin, Minnesota sat down on the job. The win these workers achieved helped set up the labor militancy of the New Deal era that revolutionized the lives of American labor!!!!
This Day in Labor History: November 9, 1935. The Committee for Industrial Organization (later the Congress of Industrial Organizations) was created. Let's talk about the CIO and how it transformed the American labor movement!
November 9, 2025 at 1:12 PM
This Day in Labor History: November 9, 1935. The Committee for Industrial Organization (later the Congress of Industrial Organizations) was created. Let's talk about the CIO and how it transformed the American labor movement!
This Day in Labor History: November 8, 1970. Congress approved the Reorganization Acts Amendment that laid the groundwork for the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. Let's talk about how the EPA is a pro-worker agency, counter to those who want to divide labor and environmentalists!
November 8, 2025 at 1:52 PM
This Day in Labor History: November 8, 1970. Congress approved the Reorganization Acts Amendment that laid the groundwork for the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. Let's talk about how the EPA is a pro-worker agency, counter to those who want to divide labor and environmentalists!
This Day in Labor History: November 7, 1861. The U.S. Army occupied the South Carolina sea islands. Having to deal with the existence of thousands of slaves with no masters, the military engaged in what became known as the Port Royal Experiment. Would black people grow cotton without the whip? Uh..
November 7, 2025 at 2:19 PM
This Day in Labor History: November 7, 1861. The U.S. Army occupied the South Carolina sea islands. Having to deal with the existence of thousands of slaves with no masters, the military engaged in what became known as the Port Royal Experiment. Would black people grow cotton without the whip? Uh..
This Day in Labor History: November 5, 1916. Cop thugs opened fire on a group of IWW organizers and workers attempting to land in Everett, Washington. Let's talk about the horrors of the Everett Massacre and the murderous ways of cops.
November 5, 2025 at 2:20 PM
This Day in Labor History: November 5, 1916. Cop thugs opened fire on a group of IWW organizers and workers attempting to land in Everett, Washington. Let's talk about the horrors of the Everett Massacre and the murderous ways of cops.
This Day in Labor History: November 4, 1942. Copper miners in Butte, Montana went on strike to protest the use of Black miners on the job. Worse, these were members of the leftist Mine, Mill. Let's talk about hate strikes and white workers again choosing their racial identity over class identity!
November 4, 2025 at 1:46 PM
This Day in Labor History: November 4, 1942. Copper miners in Butte, Montana went on strike to protest the use of Black miners on the job. Worse, these were members of the leftist Mine, Mill. Let's talk about hate strikes and white workers again choosing their racial identity over class identity!
This Day in Labor History: November 2, 1909. The Industrial Workers of the World called a free speech strike in Spokane, Washington. Let's talk about this foundational moment for the IWW.
November 2, 2025 at 1:24 PM
This Day in Labor History: November 2, 1909. The Industrial Workers of the World called a free speech strike in Spokane, Washington. Let's talk about this foundational moment for the IWW.
This Day in Labor History: November 1, 1879. The Carlisle Indian School opened in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. This school, central to the genocidal project to end Native American culture in the late nineteenth century, was replicated across the nation. Work was central to the genocidal project!
November 1, 2025 at 1:25 PM
This Day in Labor History: November 1, 1879. The Carlisle Indian School opened in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. This school, central to the genocidal project to end Native American culture in the late nineteenth century, was replicated across the nation. Work was central to the genocidal project!
This Day in Labor History: October 31, 1978. President Jimmy Carter signed the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. Let's talk about this important piece of legislation that extended civil rights and worker rights!
October 31, 2025 at 1:21 PM
This Day in Labor History: October 31, 1978. President Jimmy Carter signed the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. Let's talk about this important piece of legislation that extended civil rights and worker rights!
This Day in Labor History: October 30, 1837. Nicholas Farwell, a train engineer toiling for the Boston and Worcester Rail Road Corporation fell off a train while at work and had his hand crushed by the train. Farwell sued the company for damages. Judge said, nope! Nothing for the injured workers!
October 30, 2025 at 1:14 PM
This Day in Labor History: October 30, 1837. Nicholas Farwell, a train engineer toiling for the Boston and Worcester Rail Road Corporation fell off a train while at work and had his hand crushed by the train. Farwell sued the company for damages. Judge said, nope! Nothing for the injured workers!
This Day in Labor History: October 29, 1962. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference announced Operation Breadbasket, a boycott campaign against companies that refused to hire African-Americans. Let's talk about this core part of civil rights worker activism and the rise of Jesse Jackson!
October 29, 2025 at 2:55 PM
This Day in Labor History: October 29, 1962. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference announced Operation Breadbasket, a boycott campaign against companies that refused to hire African-Americans. Let's talk about this core part of civil rights worker activism and the rise of Jesse Jackson!
This Day in Labor History: October 28, 1793. Eli Whitney submitted a patent for his invention known as the cotton gin. Let's talk about the massive transformation this caused for labor, north and south.
October 28, 2025 at 1:06 PM
This Day in Labor History: October 28, 1793. Eli Whitney submitted a patent for his invention known as the cotton gin. Let's talk about the massive transformation this caused for labor, north and south.
This Day in Labor History: October 27, 1948. An air inversion trapped the pollution spewed out by U.S. Steel-owned factories in Donora, Pennsylvania. The Donora Smog killed 20 people and sickened 6000 others. Let's talk about this horrible moment and how it spurred pollution controls!
October 27, 2025 at 12:40 PM
This Day in Labor History: October 27, 1948. An air inversion trapped the pollution spewed out by U.S. Steel-owned factories in Donora, Pennsylvania. The Donora Smog killed 20 people and sickened 6000 others. Let's talk about this horrible moment and how it spurred pollution controls!
This Day in Labor History: October 26, 1825. The Erie Canal opened, eight years after construction commenced. This engineering marvel would have enormous impacts on the future of American work, including spurring ever-greater industrialization. It also killed over 1,000 workers building it!
October 26, 2025 at 12:55 PM
This Day in Labor History: October 26, 1825. The Erie Canal opened, eight years after construction commenced. This engineering marvel would have enormous impacts on the future of American work, including spurring ever-greater industrialization. It also killed over 1,000 workers building it!
This Day in Labor History: October 25, 1940. John L. Lewis gave a speech denouncing Franklin Delano Roosevelt and endorsing the Republican presidential candidate Wendell Willkie. This alienated Lewis from the rest of the CIO, which he had founded and funded. Let's talk about this weird moment.
October 25, 2025 at 1:06 PM
This Day in Labor History: October 25, 1940. John L. Lewis gave a speech denouncing Franklin Delano Roosevelt and endorsing the Republican presidential candidate Wendell Willkie. This alienated Lewis from the rest of the CIO, which he had founded and funded. Let's talk about this weird moment.
This Day in Labor History: October 23, 1995. John Sweeney won the election to become president of the AFL-CIO. Let's talk about this brave but ultimately failed attempted to rejuvenate organized labor through better leadership and a real commitment to organizing!
October 23, 2025 at 1:17 PM
This Day in Labor History: October 23, 1995. John Sweeney won the election to become president of the AFL-CIO. Let's talk about this brave but ultimately failed attempted to rejuvenate organized labor through better leadership and a real commitment to organizing!
This Day in Labor History: October 22, 1945. Workers in the Charleston, South Carolina tobacco factories walked off the job. Let's talk about this multiracial strike in a time and place when that was not so expected!
October 22, 2025 at 1:02 PM
This Day in Labor History: October 22, 1945. Workers in the Charleston, South Carolina tobacco factories walked off the job. Let's talk about this multiracial strike in a time and place when that was not so expected!
This Day in Labor History: October 20, 1969. A construction worker named Clarence Borel filed suit against eleven companies for asbestos exposure. Let's talk about workers starting to fight against being killed by asbestos!
October 20, 2025 at 2:53 PM
This Day in Labor History: October 20, 1969. A construction worker named Clarence Borel filed suit against eleven companies for asbestos exposure. Let's talk about workers starting to fight against being killed by asbestos!
This Day in Labor History: October 19, 1980. The Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union (ACTWU) forced the textile company J.P. Stevens to sign a contract for the first time in North Carolina and Alabama. Let's talk this epic campaign, made famous by the film Norma Rae!
October 19, 2025 at 12:58 PM
This Day in Labor History: October 19, 1980. The Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union (ACTWU) forced the textile company J.P. Stevens to sign a contract for the first time in North Carolina and Alabama. Let's talk this epic campaign, made famous by the film Norma Rae!
This Day in Labor History: October 18, 1861. The Phulaguri Uprising began in Assam, modern-day India. This was a revolt against the British control over Indian workers in the aftermath of the 1857 Indian Rebellion. Let's talk the worker fight against colonialism in India!!
October 18, 2025 at 6:17 PM
This Day in Labor History: October 18, 1861. The Phulaguri Uprising began in Assam, modern-day India. This was a revolt against the British control over Indian workers in the aftermath of the 1857 Indian Rebellion. Let's talk the worker fight against colonialism in India!!
This Day in Labor History: October 17, 1945. A huge demonstration of workers in the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, came together to demand the release of Colonel Juan Perón, recently arrested by the generals in charge of the government. Let's talk about Peronism and the Argentine workers!
October 17, 2025 at 1:47 PM
This Day in Labor History: October 17, 1945. A huge demonstration of workers in the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, came together to demand the release of Colonel Juan Perón, recently arrested by the generals in charge of the government. Let's talk about Peronism and the Argentine workers!
This Day in Labor History: October 16, 1937. The Buchanan Dam, which dammed the Colorado River of Texas, west of the town of Burnet, was dedicated. Let's talk about how dams and electricity transformed the work lives of rural women!
October 16, 2025 at 3:22 PM
This Day in Labor History: October 16, 1937. The Buchanan Dam, which dammed the Colorado River of Texas, west of the town of Burnet, was dedicated. Let's talk about how dams and electricity transformed the work lives of rural women!
This Day in Labor History: October 15, 1990. President George H.W. Bush signed the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, finally providing a path forward for some of the Cold War’s most exploited workers, Navajo uranium miners, to get some compensation, but even here this did not work well.
October 15, 2025 at 2:19 PM
This Day in Labor History: October 15, 1990. President George H.W. Bush signed the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, finally providing a path forward for some of the Cold War’s most exploited workers, Navajo uranium miners, to get some compensation, but even here this did not work well.
This Day in Labor History: October 14, 1948. A rogue anti-militant thug named Jesus Diaz de Leon took over the independent Mexican railroad union with support from Mexican president Miguel Aleman. Let's talk about the Mexican state co-opting Mexican independent unions!
October 14, 2025 at 1:10 PM
This Day in Labor History: October 14, 1948. A rogue anti-militant thug named Jesus Diaz de Leon took over the independent Mexican railroad union with support from Mexican president Miguel Aleman. Let's talk about the Mexican state co-opting Mexican independent unions!
This Day in Labor History: October 11, 1979. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined the chemical company American Cyanamid $10,000 for coercing women workers into sterilization if they wanted to work in jobs where they would be exposed to lead and chemicals!!!!!
October 11, 2025 at 12:18 PM
This Day in Labor History: October 11, 1979. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined the chemical company American Cyanamid $10,000 for coercing women workers into sterilization if they wanted to work in jobs where they would be exposed to lead and chemicals!!!!!