On This Day In Labor History

July 9, 1906 – Gabriel-Constant Martin (1839-1906) died. Gabriel-Constant Martin was a teacher and elected member of the Paris Commune and the First International.

July 9, 1917 -- Federal troops raided the IWW hall in Yakima, Washington.

July 9, 1918 -- The worst rail accident in U.S. history occurred when two trains pulled by 80-ton locomotives collided head-on at Dutchman’s curve in west Nashville, Tenn. 101 people died, another 171 were injured.

July 9, 1923 -- New England Telephone "girls" strike for seven-hour workday, $27 weekly pay after four years' service.

July 9, 1935 – New York City subway system managers in the Bronx attempt to make cleaning crews on the IRT line work faster by forcing the use of a 14-inch squeegee instead of the customary 10-inch tool. Six workers are fired for insubordination; a two-day walkout by the Transport Workers Union wins reversal of the directive and the workers’ reinstatement.

July 9, 1947 – The Greek government ordered the arrest of 11,500 people on charges of plotting a Communist revolution.

July 9, 1951 – Dashiell Hammett was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for refusing to cooperate with the US House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities' (HUAC) inquiries into domestic "subversion."

July 9, 1952  - The first U.S. law with basic safety standards to prevent mine disasters was enacted.

July 9, 1978 – 100,000 marched in Washington, D.C. for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.

July 9, 2004 - A Senate Intelligence Committee report concluded the CIA had provided unfounded assessments of the threat posed by Iraq which the Bush administration used to justify for invasion of Iraq.