Today in Labor History September 8, 1909: The bosses bent to the demands of striking Wobblies (Industrial Workers of the World, IWW) in McKees Rock, Pa. They agreed to improved working conditions, a raise of 15% and an end to the “pool system” that gave foremen control over each worker’s pay. It was the Wobbly’s biggest victory to date. The strike started on July 13. The bosses tried to bring in hundreds of scabs, but the strikers shot at the boats, forcing many of them to turn back. Others quietly snuck in by rail. However, many scabs quit or formed their own union after suffering abuses by the bosses, including being held in boxcars against their will and served rotten food. On Sunday, August 22, a shootout occurred between strikers and police and private thugs. 12-26 people died, including 2 state troopers. One of the leaders of the strike was IWW cofounder William Trautman. He later wrote a novel based on the strike called “Riot.” Joe Etter and Big Bill Haywood also helped lead the strike.

#workingclass #LaborHistory #IWW #wobblies #pennsylvania #strike #union #scabs #police #policebrutality #books #novels #writer #author #fiction #bigbillhaywood #williamtrautman #joeetter @bookstadon

Today in Labor History September 8, 1901: Francisco Ferrer, Spanish anarchist educator, opened the libertarian Escuela Moderna in Barcelona, Spain. It was one of the first schools in Spain to coeducate boys and girls. During Ferrer’s days, the Spanish literacy rate was only 50% and all schools were church-regulated. The teachers at the Church-run schools emphasized rote memorization of Catholic dogma, were hostile to any scientific and political thinking that displeased the Church and often physically brutalized students. In contrast, Modern Schools purged their books of all religion and their curriculum was fully secular. These ideas were so popular that 40 more Modern Schools opened in Barcelona in just a few years, while 80 other schools adopted his textbooks.

In 1909, mass protests against Spanish intervention in Morocco grew into a General Strike. The state responded with a week of terror and repression known as “The Tragic Week,” during which they slaughtered over 600 workers. The authorities blamed Ferrer, even though he was nowhere near Barcelona at the time. And they executed him later that year. Ferrer’s execution led to worldwide protests and organizing. Modern Schools started to pop up outside of Spain, inspired by his original Escuela Moderna. After his death, activists created more than 200 Modern Schools in Spain and 20 more in the U.S., one of which continued operating until 1958.

By the time of the First World War, Modern Schools were operating in Philadelphia, Detroit, New York, Seattle, Portland, Chicago and Salt Lake City, with more soon to follow in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston and Paterson. They taught classes in English, Yiddish, Czech, Italian and Spanish. While most of the Modern Schools lasted only a few years, the school in Stelton, New Jersey. lasted four decades. Some of the students at the original New York Modern School were photographer Man Ray and Margaret Sanger’s son. The last Modern School in America was in Lakewood, New Jersey. It operated from 1933 to 1958. Two of its last students were the Rosenberg’s sons, who attended the Modern School summer camp after their parents were executed.

Read my complete article on Francisco Ferrer and the Modern School movement here: michaeldunnauthor.com/2022/04/…

#workingclass #LaborHistory #franciscoferrer #modernschool #spain #barcelona #anarchism #education #students #children #generalstrike #repression #protest #demonstrations