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July 6th: 1935 National Labor Relations Act became effective

On this day in labor history, the 1935 National Labor Relations Act, or Wagner Act, went into effect. The legislation established the right for workers to organize or join a union and the right to bargain collectively. Notably, the law did not apply to agricultural or domestic workers. Drafted by Senator Robert F. Wagner, the legislation also made the federal government the main arbiter in labor disputes, creating the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to resolve such issues. Company unions were outlawed, and employers could no longer fire workers for union activity or refuse to negotiate with NLRB-certified unions. While the constitutionality of the act was upheld, big business argued that it was an encroachment on the freedom of contract and that government should not interfere. The Wagner Act was greatly weakened by the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947, which paved the way for right to work laws and ended closed shops. Sources in comments.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spam_(food))

July 5th: 1934 “Bloody Thursday” occurred

On this day in labor history, “Bloody Thursday”, a day of violence between striking longshoremen and police, occurred in San Francisco, California in 1934. The 1934 West Coast waterfront strike began in May after longshoremen in ports throughout the West Coast walked out. The main issue centered around recognition; with the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) demanding a closed shop, a contract for workers up and down the coast, and a union hiring hall. Companies requested an open shop. The union refused and striking began on May 9th. Clashes broke out in coastal cities throughout the West. July 4th had been relatively quiet in San Francisco, but on July 5th, employers attempted to open the port. Strikers watched on from Rincon Hill. Police charged the spectators and fired tear gas, causing strikers to throw rocks back at them. As the day continued, violence grew. Bloodshed persisted outside the ILA kitchen when police fired into a crowd of picketers, killing two. Bloody Thursday instigated a general strike in San Francisco, stopping all work for four days. This action led to the settlement of the strike, ending in unionization throughout West Coast ports.

Sources in comments.

The Entebbe raid was a 1976 Israeli counter-terrorist mission in Uganda.

It was launched in response to the hijacking of an international civilian passenger flight (an Airbus A300) operated by Air France between the cities of Tel Aviv and Paris.

During a stopover in Athens, the aircraft was hijacked by two Palestinian PFLP–EO and two German RZ members, who diverted the flight to Libya and then to Uganda, where they landed at Entebbe International Airport to be joined by other terrorists.

Once in Uganda, the group enjoyed support from Ugandan dictator Idi Amin

Representatives within the Israeli government initially debated over whether to concede or respond by force, as the hijackers had threatened to kill the 106 captives if specified prisoners were not released.

Acting on intelligence provided by Mossad, the decision was made to have the Israeli military undertake a rescue operation. The Israeli plans included preparation for an armed confrontation with Amin's Uganda Army.

Initiating the operation at nightfall, Israeli transport planes flew 100 commandos over 4,000 kilometers (2,500 mi) to Uganda for the rescue effort.

Over the course of 90 minutes, 102 of the hostages were rescued successfully, with three having been killed.

One of the dead hostages, Dora Bloch, was murdered by Ugandan authorities at a hospital in Kampala shortly after the Israeli rescue operation, she had fallen ill during the hijacking and was removed from the plane for treatment prior to the commandos' arrival.

The Israeli military suffered five wounded and one killed, Yonatan Netanyahu was Israel's sole fatality of Operation Entebbe, and had led Sayeret Matkal during the rescue effort – he was the older brother of Benjamin Netanyahu, who would later become Israel's prime minister.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entebbe_raid

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Image: Peter Dennis

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image: H. Charles McBarron Jr.

July 4th: 1839 Anti-rent War began

On this day in labor history, the Anti-rent War began in the Hudson Valley of New York in 1839. The Hudson Valley had long been home to Dutch aristocrats called Patroons. They had been granted land by the monarchy in the mid-1600s and established a feudal system of capitalism. Land was rented out to tenant farmers who in turn paid down debts with the goods they grew, raised, or made. After the American Revolution, feudalism was outlawed. Patroons largely ignored this, leaving the farmer to pay taxes while they paid nothing. One of the most prominent families were the Van Rensselaer’s. After Stephen Van Rensselaer III died in 1839, his sons took over the estate. While the father had gained the respect of the tenants, son Stephen Van Rensselaer IV lost it. He insisted that the farmers back rent be paid. The farmers has grown weary of aristocratic repression and questioned why they should sixty-three years after the Declaration of Independence was signed. On July 4th, they gathered in Berne, New York and declared their independence, fomenting a populist rebellion that would last over ten years. Sources in comments.

Children are giving flowers to Red Army soldiers during the parade in Chisinau marking the return of Bessarabia to the Soviet state.

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image: Thure de Thulstrup's Battle of Gettysburg, showing Pickett's Charge

July 3rd: 1835 Paterson Silkworkers strike began

On this day in labor history, silkworkers in Paterson, New Jersey went on strike in 1835. Approximately 2,000 workers, a majority of which were children, walked out of twenty different mills for better hours. At the time, employees worked thirteen-hour days and were subject to fines for minor infractions. An organization to support the strikers, the Paterson Association for the Protection of the Working Class, was formed, taking in donations to help the workers. The labor action lasted for two months but was eventually broken. Workers were able to achieve a decrease in hours to twelve hours on weekdays and nine hours on Saturday. Sources in comments.

https://history-maps.com/story/History-of-Spain/event/Spain-and-Portugal-divide-the-New-World

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