Illustrated Timeline of Woonsocket Labor History

1870-1930

Woonsocket Population Graph: 1870-1960

 

1870 - Social Mills Strike

• Strikes in protest over work week:
  • 11 hours a day, 6 days a week
• Movement to strike was led by James Murray and Joseph Boucher (loomfixers)
• Strikes lasted 2 weeks
• Workers returned to work under same conditions they left
• Strike failed because:
  • Laborers could not afford to stay out of work for long
  • Lived in company tenements and were threatened with eviction if they did not return to work
• Though a failure, this was the first organized strike in Woonsocket history

1885 - Rubber workers Strike

• Millville Plant of Woonsocket Rubber Co.
• 400 employees on strike
• Strikers represented by the Knights of Labor
• Strikers wanted the same wages paid at Malden Rubber Co
• Strikers offered wages of the Boston Rubber Shoe Co (.16 for men’s short boots)
  • This was less than what they were asking.
• Strikers threatened a national boycott of company goods
• Eventually accepted the Boston Rubber Shoe Co wage parity offer on Oct. 1
• Strike had lasted 13 weeks
  • Sidenote:
    • In 1886 it was noted that the Knights of Labor had over 1,200 members in Woonsocket.
    • The Knights of Labor was the forerunner to the American Federation of Labor
      

1875 - State Census

• Manufacturing establishments in Woonsocket: 60 (190 by 1919!!!)
• Total Amount of Wages: $1,742,576
• Value of all products: $8,920,667
• Partial list of output
  • 90,000 dozens of cotton braids
  • 120,000 grain bags
  • 300,000 yards of woolen lastings and serges
  • 85,500 dozens of worsted braids
• Of Woonsocket’s 13,576 citizens, only 1,836 were natives
• Woonsocket had the greatest percentage of foreign-born inhabitants of any town in RI (72%)
• 40% of French-Canadian children under 15 were at work in factories
• On average, 10.11 people lived in each dwelling in the City limits!

1888 Harris Weavers Strike

• Aug 25, 1888: 125 weavers at Harris’ Privelege Mill went on strike
• Claimed unfair treatment by the Overseer of Weaving (F.A. Chace)
• Claimed they were so heavily fined (without reason) that they could not support themselves
• Strikers appointed a committee to state grievances to management
• Management deferred to Chace, saying that the fines were not heavier than at other mills
• On August 27, the strike forced the machinery in the plant to shut down. 300 employees now had nothing to do.
• After a week, people started applying for work and management started hiring…but would not hire anyone prominent in the strike

1890 - Central Labor Union

• Date is approximate
• Founded largely through efforts of James McGrath – worked at Glenark Knitting Mill
  • Note! His son, J. Howard McGrath, later became Governor, U.S. Senator, and U.S. District Attorney
  • When McGrath moved to Central Falls, the union became inactive and surrendered its charter.
  • Union disbanded in 1905
    

 

1898 - Glenark Knitting Co. Strike

• July 29, 80 female spool tenders went on strike to protest change in pay scale from day to piece work
• After talking with strikers, company decided not to press for the change
• Girls returned to work
• Experienced girls were earning $1/day and feared that piece work would cut their pay to $.70/day
• Non-experienced workers were paid $3.50-$4.00/day
  

1895 - State Census

• “Of the 7,419 wage earners in Woonsocket in 1895, 4868 were in textiles”
  

 

1899 - Union Organization

• June, 1899 the Iron Molders’ Union organized
  

1899 - Clinton and Nourse Strikes

• April
• 32 Weavers and 17 Mulespinners at the Clinton and Nourse Mills went on strike
• Claimed that wage restorations since the 1897 pay cuts were inadequate
  

1900 - Union Organization

• In January, 20 knitters organized as the Woonsocket Underwear Knitters Association
  

1900 – Union Organization

• Woonsocket Central Labor Union held its first meeting on Jan. 22, 1900
• Four unions were represented
• Collection of collective unions
• Disbanded in 1905
  

1901 - Minor Unions

• April 12, the Woonsocket Carpenters Union was formed
• August 27, local branch of the International Journeymen’s Barbers’ Union was organized

 

1902 - Minor Unions

• Bartenders Union was in existence. Exact date of organization not yet found!
  • Imagine the union meetings!!!
• April 3, 21 Blacksmiths for a local union
  

1903 - RCIA Organization

• In March, 40 (+/-) local retail clerks form a local branch of the Retail Clerks’ International Association
  

1903 - Mulespinner Strikes

• Strike lasted 18 weeks and affected Social, Nourse, Globe, and Manville Mills
• Various unions offered financial support to strikers
• Strikers demanding a 10% pay increase
• Strikers were unsuccessful and returned to work on July 19
  

1904 - Dunn Worsted Strike

• Strike began Jan 25
• Strike was called to protest over two-loom system (???)
• Clashes between strikers and strike-breakers
• Management obtained restraining order against picketing on Feb 27
• Management offered to reinstate workers in their former jobs
• March 12, 1904, strikers voted 17-12 to return to work

1904 - Journeyman Plumbers Strike

• May 1, 35 Journeymen Plumbers (members of the Plumbers, Steam, and Gas Fitters and Helpers Union) went on strike
• Wanted
  • 8 hour day
  • Minimum wage of $3.00/day
• Strike lasted more than 9 weeks
• After 4th week, union headquarters paid strikers $5.00/week
• On July 5, strikers were granted a 5% pay increase
• Strike ended
  

1905 - Central Labor Union Disbands

• April, 1905: C.L.U. returned its charter to the American Federation of Labor
• Allaire suggests that there was growing apathy towards
  • Unions associated with the A.F.L. dropped from 19 in 1903 to 6 in 1905
  • In March 1905 the Knitters Union disbanded
    • Knitters Union was an independent union of employees at Glenark and Morrill Mills
    • Member “indifference”
    • Union treasury split between 65 members: $20.90 a head
      

1906 - Lafayette Worsted Strike

• August, 59 mulespinners and piercers went on strike
• Protesting their wages were lower than those paid at other city mills
• No info on results!

1906 - Central Labor Union Reconstituted

• In 1906, as a result of the efforts of Martin V. Cass, the C.L.U. reorganized
• C.L.U. was supported by and represented:
  • Plumbers
  • Printers
  • Loomfixers
  • Moulders
  • Steamfitters
  • Spinners
  • Other unions were represented by the C.L.U. as well
• Cass elected president and held post until his retirement in 1941
  

1907 - Alice Mills Strike

• Started: October 25.
• Ended: unclear
  • Evidence suggests that it lasted for a few weeks
• 325 “girls” employed as shoemakers walked out.
  • Interested in median age…was this an adult strike or a juvenile?
  • Received $.05 per shoe
  • Could only make (at most) 24 pairs a day
  • Maximum daily wage was $1.20

1907 - Loomfixers Union

• In 1907 the Loomfixers Union votes to become affiliated with United Textile Workers of America
  

1910 - Construction Strike

• 250 Italian Laborers went on strike for 2 weeks.
• “first serious labor disorder in 20 years…” (Woonsocket Call)
• Some minor violence between strikers and strike breakers
• 4 people arrested
  • 2 for carrying concealed weapons
  • 2 for throwing stones
• Construction projects affected:
  • Samoset and Nyanza Mills
  • Manufacturers Power Company
  • New Holy Family Church
  • New Post Office
  • Lawton Spinning Co.(addition)
  • Deaurmoint Worsted Co.(addition)
• May 26, Park Commissioners closed Cold Spring Park – gathering place for strikers and sympathizers
• May 28 Chief of Police activates 40 men (including “special constables”) to prevent disorder
  

1910 - Barber's Strike

• Journeymen barbers wanted:
  • Labor Day off as a paid holiday
  • Shorter Wednesday Schedule
  • Shorter work day (wanted shops to close at 8pm instead of 9pm)
    • Lost this bid!
• Sidenote:
  • In 1912 Woonsocket had 10 unions with an aggregate membership of 1,027.
    

1910 - Paragon Strike

• Jan 17, 35 weavers walked out of Paragon Worsted Co. in protest over the hiring of apprentices (at reduced wages)
• Strike only lasted a few days

1910 - River Spinning Strike

• May 3, 170 Spinners and Weavers walked out
• Protesting management order that all employees enter and leave by the main gate of mill
• The gate many employees used regularly (the tower gate) was closed without notice (yes, this is what they were objecting to!)
• Strike lasted one week when management agreed to let workers use the tower gate for an additional week before closing it permanently
  

1912 - Union Painters Strike

• May 13, 110 Union Painters went on strike
• Master Painters would not:
  • grant wage increase of 37.5 cents an hour
  • Saturday afternoons off
  • Strike lasted at least 7 weeks

1913 - Strikes

• July, workers at River Spinning Co, Hamlet Textile Co, and French Worsted went on strike
• July 11, 38 workers at River Spinning Co walked out
  • Protesting rejection of pay raise request
  • Management said they never received a request
  • Avg. salary was $12/week
  • No pay increase granted
  • Back to work on July 16
• July 14, 160+ weavers at Hamlet Textile Co. went on strike
  • Protesting non-uniform cuts of cloth
  • Wanted a pay increase
  • Management gave a pay increase
  • Back to work by July 18
• July 28, 140 Spinners at French Worsted went on strike for pay increase
  • Gov. Pothier intervened and a settlement involving “mutual concessions” was announced on Aug, 23
    

1914 - Montrose Strikes

• In April, the weavers of the Montrose Woolen Co. went on strike
• Though they were members of the I.W.W. (the wobblies!) the refused the assistance of the union
• The company employed strikebreakers to end the strike
  

1914 - Painters Strike

• June, 100 members of Woonsocket Local 682 Painters, Decorators, and Paperhangers of America went on strike
• Sought $3.50/day claiming they were currently earning $1.75-$2.50/day
  
  

1917 - Union Stats

• By this time, Woonsocket had 14 labor unions with 1,173 members
  • If compared with the 1,200+ members of the Knights of Labor in 1886, suggests that by 1917, the labor movement was essential where it was 31 years earlier.
  • State survey ranked cities by union memberships:

1. Providence
2. Pawtucket
3. Westerly
4. Newport
5. Woonsocket
   

1918 - Highway Workers Strike

• In June, 65 Highway Department Teamsters, Sweepers, and Shovelers went on strike asking for a 20% pay increase.
• City Committee on Streets and Bridges was willing to give a $1.00 a week raise to the Teamsters, but refused to give raises to Sweepers and Shovelers.
  

• May 30, 75-100 Iron Molders walked out on strike
• Demanded an 8 hour work day
• Demanded wages of $7.20/day
• Strikers received union benefits while on strike
• Strike was still in effect 1 year later
• No information on settlement
  

• February, 100 our 150 employees at the mill went on strike
• Protesting company decision to make them return to a 54 hour work week
• Strike lasted three weeks
• Settlement was a 48 hour work week and a wage cut
  

• May 15, 600 workers refused to work
• Most of the workers were members of a local labor union: “Worsted Spinners Union”
• They wanted management to fire an overseer
• Management called them “revolutionists and Bolsheviks” and demanded they return to work
• Management complained that employees played ball inside the mill (with bobbins) and regularly broke windows
• Management said that if the strike continued, it might lead the firm to leave the city
• Strike ended in July
  

• July, 55 of the 70 telephone operators of Woonsocket went on strike
• Wanted 7 hour day (down from 8) and a wage increase
• Part of a New England wide strike
• Company was agreeable to the demands, but under the condition that they abandon their union
• Replacements were brought in, but service only partially restored
• Strike officially began June 26 and ended July 26
• Strikers appealed to the public by protesting in downtown Woonsocket
  

• Local 1580 of the United Textile Workers of America (AFL) was representing 80-100 mill employees in Woonsocket (mostly from the Riverside Worsted Co. plant)
• By late 1930, a strike that resulted in the reduction of wages caused great dissatisfaction and talk of forming an independent union
• Union meeting was called, proposal to organize independently was put to a vote and accepted
• The ITU was born! BUT, they made no immediate move to leave the AFL.
  

• February 21, 1200 employees of Social Mill walked out
• Social Mill was part of the Manville-Jencks company
• Protesting a notice posted at the mill saying that the plant was to close
• Notice read:
  • “We are very sorry to be obliged to inform the operatives of the Social Mill that inasmuch as we have apparently failed to get their cooperation in our efforts to improve its operating conditions, we shall be obliged to discontinue operations”
• Plant was to close for good on Sept 1
• Jenckes said the mill could not be operated at a profit and would be abandoned
• Property was for sale
• In addition, the Nourse (also part of M-J) mill was also for sale
• Workers at the Globe Mill (part of M-J) walked out in protest
• Jenckes closed the Globe mill “indefinitely”
• Globe strikers asked for a 48 hour work week and a wage increase of $0.12½
• Jenckes refused demands out of hand
• Globe remained closed
  

1931 - ITU Forms as Independant Union

• A question of Names:
  • Originally known as “Independent Textile Union”
  • In 1941, changed name to “Industrial Trades Union of America”
• First local union to attain a membership of 10,000
• Low dues appealed to a broader audience
• Was not a “skilled” union. Enrollment was open to all workers and not divided by craft or trade. Many found this appealing!
• Union officials were workers:
  • President Joseph Schmetz worked as a mulespinner in the Riverside plant until 1936!
• Efforts:
  • “Share the Work” program attempted to counteract petty bosses who singled out individuals for large amounts of work
  • “Wage Standardization” program attempted to get standard wages for same work.
    • In Woonsocket, there could be as much as a 25% discrepancy in pay for the same work
  • Funeral Benefits allocated $300 per member (1933)
• ITU Localization
  • Organized into local branches, one for each mill
  • Each “Local” elected 5 delegates to the ITU Council (policy making body of the ITU)
    

1931 - First ITU Strike

• Twisters of the Desurmont Mill walked out
• Protesting a wage cut
• After 1 week, union negotiated a 7.5% pay increase for all 625 employees at the plant
• This success encouraged many people to join the union

  However…

• The unorganized workers at the Branch River Wool Combing Company were refused the increase
• The 500+ workers went on strike
• None of them were union members
• ITU devoted its entire treasury to feeding the strikers
• After 6 weeks, the company told the strikers they would lose their jobs.
  • 35 people returned to work
• Company obtained an injunction against the strike(ers)
  • 150 returned to work
    

 

1933 - Desurmont Strikes

Trouble strikes again!

• On Feb 6, Management implemented a 17% pay cut and refused to discuss the matter
• A strike was called
• Lasted 8 weeks
• Union set up a grocery to give food benefits to strikers
• Union coffers almost depleted!
• Management insisted that a condition of taking back the employees was that the organizers sign a contract promising not to carry on union activities
  

1934 - Woonsocket Strikes

Sept 8 (Saturday), ITU members voted to join a general strike in sympathy of a general textile strike called by the UTW

• Strikers wanted a 38 hour work week, increased wages, and union recognition
• The general strike ultimately affected 2,781 mills across the nation and 500,000 employees
• By Monday, almost every mill in Woonsocket was closed
  • Branch River Wool Combing Co. was unorganized.
    • Over 100 cars paraded around the facility. Ultimately it shut down. Intimidation?
  • The problem with Rayon
    • Differing accounts to this day!
    • FACT: Woonsocket Rayon was asked to close by the ITU
    • FACT: Woonsocket Rayon was still open on Sept 11th.
    • Woonsocket Rayon had asked union that they could not shut down immediately because of complicated process that would destroy machinery if the chemicals were abandoned inside
    • Promised they would shut down gradually
    • But, workers reported that they were making no effort to shut down…
      

Tuesday, Sept 11

• A crowd collected in front of Woonsocket Rayon
• Someone threw a stone at the plant
• Police retaliated with teargas
• A woman and two young (19yo) men arrested
• Mill remained open
  

Wednesday, Sept 12

• A crowd of approx 2,000 gathered at the mill gates before the change of shifts at midnight
• Police used teargas to disperse “mob”
• Mob retaliated with stones.
• More vollies of teargas and stones
• The majority of the crowd dispersed
• Some continued throwing stones as they retreated…began to destroy streetlights…looting began
• Hell breaks loose
• 2 men died, several more injured
• Bars were not allowed to reopen until Sept 18
• 60 people arraigned for rioting
• Consensus was that the rioting was instigated by “professional agitators”
• Several religious leaders in the community blamed the riot on “communists”
  

 

1935 - Woonsocket Labor Board

 

1937 - ITU

• In March, Lawrence N. Spitz was hired as General Secretary
• Much of the success of the ITU is attributed to Spitz
• Successes:
  • Reinvigorated the ITU Monthly (a union publication begun in 1935)
  • Organized English and Citizenship classes for laborers. Held at union headquarters.
  • Bought local land for members wishing to build one-family homes (by 1941, 13 cottages had been built on a plot able to accommodate 20)
    

1937 - Strikes

French Worsted Co

• Sit-down Strike
• 54 strikers occupied the mule room on the fifth floor for 11 days
• Hauled up food and blankets by rope on the first day. Management agreed to give permission for food and blankets to be brought in
• Finally left on the promise that the company would arbitrate
• Number of strikers grew to 186
• Plant shut down on Dec 1
• After workers left, company refused to arbitrate
• Ultimately, strikers told management they would return to work under the same conditions as those before the strike
• Strike ended Feb 16, 1938

General Strike

• 1000 woolen workers on strike for 8 weeks
  

1938 - Dye House Strikes

• 1,500 workers on strike protesting 12.5% wage reduction
  

1939 - Woonsocket Rayon Strike

• Feb 19, strike was called by Spinners
• Oct 21, Spinners voted to call off strike and return to work
• Woonsocket Rayon refused to take them back
• ITU filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board
• Hearings conducted May 16, 1940 and lasted 23 days
• Union position was upheld by the board, and Woonsocket Rayon was forced to negotiate a new contract, which was also implemented at Manville Jenckes

1939 - ITU

• In 1939 the ITU had its first union struggle/collective effort
  • Fought for a “Closed Shop” agreement at Masurel Worsted Mill
  • Successful effort meant that employees had to be ITU members and company could not negotiate without the ITU

ITU Union Membership