Rail workers died fighting for basic human rights: Anniversary of Railroad Strike of 1877

July 21, 2017

John Risch, SMART TD’s national legislative director, spoke with Jaisal Noor of realnews.com on the significance of the 140th anniversary of the first national railroad strike that began July 14, 1877, also known as the Great Railroad Strike and Great Upheaval.
More than 100,000 workers participated in the strike, which lasted 45 days. It is estimated that over 100 workers died and thousands more were injured.
Risch points out that though immense labor victories have been hard fought and won since that time, the struggle for workers’ rights continues.
Click here to read the article.
ACT NOW!  Contact your legislator to protect rail worker rights: Click here to go to the SMART TD Legislative Action Center and take a couple of minutes to send a clear message to Congress:

  • YES to Two-person crews (Safe Freight Act)
  • YES to Yardmaster Protection Act
  • NO to AMTRAK budget cuts
  • NO to so-called Right to Work laws…that destroy unions

 
 
 
Photo courtesy of Ohio History Central.