The Lewiston–Auburn shoe strike of 1937 occurred in the cities of Lewiston, Maine and Auburn, Maine among textile workers, most of whom were of French-Canadian descent. The workers walked off the job on March 25, 1937 demanding higher pay, a shorter workweek, better working conditions and union representation. Shortly after the strike began, the manufacturers offered a 10% wage increase, which was refused by the Strikers.[1] By early April, 4,000 to 5,000 workers, including skilled and unskilled, were on strike. On April 21, workers and union organizers attempted to march across South Bridge (now Bernard Lown Peace Bridge), which connect Lewiston's Little Canada neighborhood and Auburn. Police and workers fought, including many women on the workers' side. Depicted in the Lewiston Evening Journal as 'Red Wednesday', Governor Lewis Barrows called in the Maine Army National Guard.[2] Overall, the strike ended with a loss for the workers on June 29, 1937.[3]
Powers Hapgood, the New England secretary for the Committee for Industrial Organization (CIO) at the time, arrived in Lewiston on March 12 to coordinate the strike. was jailed for two months for contempt of court for his role in continuing the strike in the wake of an injunction by a Maine Supreme Judicial Court justice forbidding strike activity.
In 1992, Bates College professor Robert Branham made a 55-minute documentary about the strike called "Roughing the Uppers: the Great Shoe Strike of 1937".[4]
Labor historian Charles Scontras said of the strike, "In the shoe strike, the wholesale violation of civil liberties prompted the American Civil Liberties Union to state that 'Maine is at least 100 years behind the time in labor laws'."[5]
In 2008, a mural depicting the history of Maine's workers, including a depiction of the Lewiston–Auburn shoe strike, was commissioned by Maine Arts Commission and put on display in the Maine Department of Labor. In March 2011, Republican Governor Paul LePage who was a staunch capitalist ordered the mural taken down, which in turn created statewide controversy.[6]
Referencesedit
^Bussel, Robert (2010-11-01). From Harvard to the Ranks of Labor: Powers Hapgood and the American Working Class. Penn State Press. pp. 161–. ISBN9780271043371. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
^Bussel, Robert (2010-11-01). From Harvard to the Ranks of Labor: Powers Hapgood and the American Working Class. Penn State Press. pp. 164–. ISBN9780271043371. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
1937, lewiston, auburn, shoe, strike, lewiston, auburn, shoe, strike, 1937, occurred, cities, lewiston, maine, auburn, maine, among, textile, workers, most, whom, were, french, canadian, descent, workers, walked, march, 1937, demanding, higher, shorter, workwe. The Lewiston Auburn shoe strike of 1937 occurred in the cities of Lewiston Maine and Auburn Maine among textile workers most of whom were of French Canadian descent The workers walked off the job on March 25 1937 demanding higher pay a shorter workweek better working conditions and union representation Shortly after the strike began the manufacturers offered a 10 wage increase which was refused by the Strikers 1 By early April 4 000 to 5 000 workers including skilled and unskilled were on strike On April 21 workers and union organizers attempted to march across South Bridge now Bernard Lown Peace Bridge which connect Lewiston s Little Canada neighborhood and Auburn Police and workers fought including many women on the workers side Depicted in the Lewiston Evening Journal as Red Wednesday Governor Lewis Barrows called in the Maine Army National Guard 2 Overall the strike ended with a loss for the workers on June 29 1937 3 Powers Hapgood the New England secretary for the Committee for Industrial Organization CIO at the time arrived in Lewiston on March 12 to coordinate the strike was jailed for two months for contempt of court for his role in continuing the strike in the wake of an injunction by a Maine Supreme Judicial Court justice forbidding strike activity In 1992 Bates College professor Robert Branham made a 55 minute documentary about the strike called Roughing the Uppers the Great Shoe Strike of 1937 4 Labor historian Charles Scontras said of the strike In the shoe strike the wholesale violation of civil liberties prompted the American Civil Liberties Union to state that Maine is at least 100 years behind the time in labor laws 5 In 2008 a mural depicting the history of Maine s workers including a depiction of the Lewiston Auburn shoe strike was commissioned by Maine Arts Commission and put on display in the Maine Department of Labor In March 2011 Republican Governor Paul LePage who was a staunch capitalist ordered the mural taken down which in turn created statewide controversy 6 References edit Bussel Robert 2010 11 01 From Harvard to the Ranks of Labor Powers Hapgood and the American Working Class Penn State Press pp 161 ISBN 9780271043371 Retrieved 5 August 2014 Bussel Robert 2010 11 01 From Harvard to the Ranks of Labor Powers Hapgood and the American Working Class Penn State Press pp 164 ISBN 9780271043371 Retrieved 5 August 2014 1937 shoe worker strike hits milestone Bangor Daily News Associated Press June 24 2002 p B4 Retrieved 5 August 2014 Roughing the Uppers The Great Shoe Strike of 1937 Movies amp TV Dept The New York Times 2014 Archived from the original on 11 August 2014 Retrieved 5 August 2014 Maine labor history explored in book by ex UM professor Bangor Daily News Orono August 15 2002 Retrieved 5 August 2014 1st Circuit rejects Maine labor mural appeal Bangor Daily News Associated Press November 28 2012 Retrieved 5 August 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1937 Lewiston Auburn shoe strike amp oldid 1174453628, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
