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by Fred Siegmund (Author)
Americans work "at will" and can be fired or laid off at any time. Work and the boss can be difficult; sometimes we strike, picket and protest. Take the time back in July 1877 after the Pennsylvania Railroad cut wages 20 percent and the Pittsburgh superintendent laid off half his conductors, flagmen and brakemen. Striking crews blocked the tracks, except railroad officials declared to "clear the tracks" and found a compliant governor ready to call out the National Guard. His troops fired directly into the crowds at Pittsburgh's 28th Street grade crossing, leaving 16 dead and 27 wounded. Follow along with the "angry surging tide of humanity" descending into the rail yards for three days of arson, looting and rioting. Take a trip through the Sunday aftermath to consider the burned-out ruins of 1,200 freight cars, 126 locomotives and two miles of smoldering Pittsburgh.
The Fight Over Jobs narrates these street battles in one strike after another along with the confrontations on the picket line, the shop floor, the bargaining table, in Congress and the courts over the years 1877 to 2024. Here is a book that recounts corporate America's never-ending quest for cheap labor. Follow the efforts of their labor organizing opponents and the political and judicial role of Congress and the courts in the competition to control America's labor relations. Tote up the victories and defeats in these never ending battles and decide for yourself: Which side are you on?
