April 12, 1934, the TOLEDO ELECTRIC AUTO-LITE STRIKE began and on May 23,1934, ‘The Battle of Toledo’ resulted in the death of two workers, with 200 injured during a five-day running battle between roughly 6,000 strikers at Electric Auto-Lite and 1,300 members of the Ohio National Guard. In early efforts to organize auto workers the American Federation of Labor had chartered Federal Labor Unions (FLU). FLU 18384 in Toledo had been organized differently than other FLUs because it was a multi-employer union, and its members belonged not only to the Electric Auto-Lite Company but also to the Bingham Stamping and Tool Company and the Logan Gear Company (both subsidiaries of Electric Auto-Lite). Because of this diverse membership, workers at one employer could strike and the union would remain financially solvent. On Feb. 23, Auto-Lite members engaged in a recognition strike and attempted to win a 10 percent wage increase. Nearly all FLU members at Auto-Lite walked out. The strike lasted five days and employees returned to work after management agreed to a 5 percent wage increase and to negotiate a contract by April 1, 1934. Both parties agreed to negotiate further over wages (the union demanded an additional 20 percent wage increase), seniority rights, the closed shop, improved working conditions, union recognition and an end to discrimination against union members and supporters. When Management decided not to sign a new contract in early April a second strike was authorized. Backed by the American Workers Party, the strike was effective and the courts intervened to order everyone back to work. The firm hired 1,500 strikebreakers as replacement workers to re-open the plant and start production. The company also hired armed guards to protect the replacement workers, and the Lucas County sheriffs department deputized large numbers of special deputies (paid for by Auto-Lite) to assist the companys private security personnel. Additionally, Auto-Lite purchased $11,000 worth of tear and vomit gas munitions and stored them in the plant. When the AWP learned about the strikebreakers, it engaged in mass picketing. By the morning of May 23, the number of picketers rose to 6,000. City and company officials began to worry that the Toledo police, who were disaffected because of wage cuts and layoffs, were beginning to sympathize with the strikers and were no longer reliable. The battle was on.
Posted on: Sun, 03 Aug 2014 12:27:59 +0000
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