Wives interfere with labor holiday (Contra Costa County sheriff protected them)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.contracostatimes.com/nildarego/ci_11181534

Nilda Rego
Contra Costa Times Correspondent
Posted: 12/14/2008 12:00:00 AM PST

On March 11, 1938, the nation was still in the grips of the Great Depression when the C&H sugar refinery was shut down because of a labor dispute among three unions: the CIO, the AF of L and the longshoremen's Warehousemen's Union. The AF of L claimed it had a closed shop. The CIO claimed it didn't and set up a picket line, which the warehousemen refused to cross. On April 6, a riot broke out. The next day, 300 CIO members from throughout the Bay Area marched down Crockett's Loring Avenue to re-establish the picket line. And the Contra Costa County sheriff protected them.

Part 2 of 2

'Under the terms of the Wagner Labor Relations Act no one has the authority to prevent the CIO from picketing the plant," Sheriff John A. Miller told the press on April 7, 1938, the day after the riot.

"Our men will do their utmost to prevent further violence, but we can not do much preventive work."

International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union vice president and CIO spokesman Louis Goldblatt promised Miller that the out-of-town union members would leave Crockett as soon as they were assured that no harm would come to the men manning the picket line.

On April 8, AF of L officials called a labor holiday.

"A building trades holiday will be called in the two counties (Alameda and Contra Costa) at 8 a.m. Between 10,000 and 15,000 AF of L men will parade through Crockett to establish harmony.

"The people of Crockett need have no fear of any reprisals by any San Francisco waterfront organizations or any other out-of-town organizations. "... One of the finest ports in the world — San Francisco — has been practically closed by the tactics of a minority group shipped into Crockett by certain Communist leaders, the sole purpose being to destroy that what they could not control."

snip The Oakland Tribune reported that the housewives of Crockett handed out fliers "demanding to know, 'Are Crockett Warehousemen Being Led by Communists?'"

Peace was maintained in Crockett. On April 9 opposing union leaders met with refinery officials and Sheriff Miller.

FULL story at link.

[Clovis Sangrail]

1. thanks :D

that sent me off on some fun reading