Vol. 73/No. 35      September 14, 2009

In addition, the government ordered the police to close the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo and suspended classes for two weeks in the public schools.

The night of August 30, Salvador Jorge Blanco, the president of the Dominican Republic, announced increases in the price of fuel. Anticipating the price hike, the major unions in the country, together with the People’s Struggle Committees, had been organizing protest activities. After the announcement of the increase in fuel prices, the unions called for a national transport strike for September 3.  
 
September 14, 1959
SAN FRANCISCO—Not in many years has there been such a remarkable demonstration of rand-and-file combativity as that exhibited in the recently concluded San Francisco teamster strike. It was reminiscent in many ways of the militant battles of 1934 that restored union strength to this area. As in 1934 it was a movement that got no sanction from on top but arose from deep wells of working class anger.

These young men took to the streets and bridge approaches and stopped a large city’s commercial traffic. When they got up in their strike meeting to proclaim that the power rested in their hands to paralyze the city, they were speaking a simple truth that could not be denied. Only one combination could counter that—a devious alliance of union officials, judges, editors, employers, and agents of the federal government.  
 
September 15, 1934
The most far reaching, vicious injunction ever to come to our attention has been awarded the Paterson dye-house bosses.

Under its provisions the dyers must either work or go to jail. Already squads of constables are scurrying about to the shops to serve the injunction. Here is an order which enjoins the workers not merely from striking or from picketing but even from discussing a strike.

“We are happy at this decision,” say the bosses, “thousands of workers will be permitted to work and earn their livelihood uninterrupted.”

Reduced to the level of chattel, these workers are now forced by solemn court order either to stay at their places of slavery, eking out whatever miserable existence they can, or protest, strike, and be sent to the county prisons.  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home