On This Date In Labor History

July 20 1877 – In the midst of the Great Strike, Maryland state militia fired on striking railroad workers in Baltimore, killing 50.

July 20, 1899 - New York City newsboys, many so poor that they were sleeping in the streets, begin a two-week strike. Several rallies drew more than 5,000 newsboys, complete with charismatic speeches by strike leader Kid Blink, who was blind in one eye. The boys had to pay publishers up front for the newspapers; they were successful in forcing the publishers to buy back unsold papers.

July 20, 1934 - Police shot at picketing strikers during the Minneapolis Teamsters strike without provocation, killing two and wounding 67 more, what would become known as Bloody Friday.

July 20, 1955 – The UAW (United Auto Workers) was indicted for illegal political contributions (not to be confused with the millions in legal contributions they have recently made, thus ensuring a government bailout that kept their bosses afloat, but resulted in lost jobs and lower wages for workers).

July 20, 1971 – The first labor contract in the history of the federal government was signed by postal unions and the Postal Service through the collective bargaining process.