#strikebreakers

[kropotkindersurprise]

So join the union while you may, don't wait until your dying day., for that might not be far away, you dirty blackleg miner!

a song to periodically remind us how to deal with scabs.

[newyorkthegoldenage]

Strikebreakers in the eating quarters set up by Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT) officials, July 25, 1927. They are poised to deal with a threatened walkout by members of the Amalgamated Association of Street and Electric Railway Employees.

Photo: Underwood Archives via Fine Art America

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“City Police Condemned By Strikers,” Kingston Whig-Standard. April 22, 1941. Page 2.  ---- Condemning city police for escorting "scabs" through a Canadian Seamen's Union picket line at La Salle Causeway, Galen Bowen, union business agent, declared today that Great Lakes sailors are now agitating for a general strike because officers had interfered in the Kingston strike. 

“While the Hon Norman A. McLarty, minister of labor, placed the onus for the shipping strike squarely upon the shoulders of the dissenting companies here in Kingston, we find the Kingston city police acting on the orders of one of the companies criticised by the Dominion Government,” said Bowen. 

Join Labor Dispute "Members of the Canadian Seamen's Union were peacefully picketing two Keystone freighters involved in the strike when the Kingston police, under the direction of Chief J. Robinson, escorted scab sailors through the picket line and aboard the ships. With drawn night sticks and the ‘Black Maria' waiting on La Salle Causeway, the Kingston police force which is paid by the ratepayers of Kingston, involved itself in a labor dispute already adjudicated by federal authorities. 

"As the representative of an organization receiving the approval of the Dominion Department of Labor, I would like to voice my strongest condemnation of the treatment accorded our union by city police,” declared Bower. 

“Because such action has been taken by the city police, an agitation has started among seamen for the complete tie-up of shipping on the Great Lakes. If this were done, it would seriously impede Canada's war effort and the responsibility would rest entirely upon the actions of the Kingston police department in working with the Keystone Company in an attempt to break the strike.”

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“May Tie Up Shipping On the Lakes,” Kingston Whig-Standard. April 19, 1941. Page 2. ---- General tie-up of shipping on the Great Lakes loomed today following the action Friday evening of Keystone Transports Limited in sailing two ot their boats from the La Salle Causeway. 

This was revealed today by E. Donne, acting general secretary of the Canadian Seamen's Union, who said there is a growing feeling among members that a general strike should be called. 

"Feeling is running high and if the demand is made on the national executive we have no other course to take but call a genera strike" said Donne. 

Galen Rowers, business agent of the CSU, said that dozens of union men not effected by the strike had demanded that a general tie-up be put in force. 

In Protest If a general strike is called, it will be in protest of the Keystone Company taking crews through a Canadian Seamen's Union picket line and placing them aboard the Key Don and Key West. The sailors were escorted aboard the ships Friday evening by city police and shortly before 10 o'clock the vessels sailed far Montreal. 

"We have done all we can," declared Donne today. “It's now up to the Government to take action. Feeling is reaching fever heat and something will soon have to be done to prevent serious trouble.” 

Union officials announced that the picket line will be maintained at four other Keystone ships now docked at La Salle Causeway. 

Donne said that the board of conciliation set up by the Government had recommended that the dissenting steamship companies sign agreements with the Canadian Seamen's Union. 

“A year ago we had this conciliation board arbitrarily thrust on us,” continued Donne. “The dissenting companies have refused to abide by the board's decision forcing us to strike Now it is up to the Government to force the companies to do what has been recommended by the board.” 

Capt. Leon Beaupre, marine superintendent of Keystone Transports, has refused to have anything to do with the CSU, said Donne. But Capt. Beaupre has signed an agreement with the National Seamen' Association. 

Donne's Charge Only a handful of men aboard Keystone boats are members of the National Seamen's Association yet the company is attempting to make the Government believe that the association represents the crews charged Donne. 

“You can see how it represented them when the company had to bring in strikebreakers from Montreal to take the ships out," said Donne. “The company is trying to take advantage of the war effort to force a company union on the men." 

Some of the striking members of the CSU had served aboard the Key Don and Key West for as long as 15 years, he said. 

There was no disturbance Friday evening when police escorted 40 Montreal seamen aboard the ships docked at LaSalle Causeway Police had night sticks out in preparation for trouble but the CSU let the strikebreakers through. 

Police Chief J. Robinson said the Keystone Company had requested a police escort for the Montreal sailors.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"FELL, KICK AGED MAN AS STRIKE WARMS UP," Toronto Star. February 20, 1934. Page 2. ---- Assault Charge Is Laid, Making Third Arrest in Kitchener Disturbances ---- Special to The Star Kitchener, Feb. 20. - The number of arrests in Kitchener's furniture strike disorders totalled three to-day when police took into custody Alex Nezninoi on a charge of assault. The charge followed a brief flurry at the plant of the Brandt Furniture Co. to-day when an aged man was knocked down and kicked, allegedly by picketers and strike sympathizers.

In the meantime Wilfred Oliver and George Stuebing, arrested last night, were admitted to bail and were awaiting a court hearing on charges of obstructing an officer. Police charge that when a constable sought to rescue a strike-breaker from a roughing at the hands of picketers he was obstructed by the two men.

City council has moved for arbitration in an effort to iron out difficulties and to prevent spread of trouble. A committee consisting of Aldermen Hearn, Mullins and Meinzinger was named to study the situation and to try to bring representatives of the manufacturers and workers together for a conference to-morrow.

The plant of the De Luxe Co. is still tied up, with no settlement in prospect. The Reliable Manufacturing Co. management refuses to dis- cuss a settlement with the union as at present constituted.

At the Brandt plant to-day some W men who reported for work yesterday remained away while some new workers reported.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"IRATE STRIKERS CHARGE WORKERS ENTERING PLANT," Toronto Star. March 27, 1934. Page 1 & 3. --- Stones Shatter Glass in Car Which Carried Strike-Breakers --- ELEVEN AT WORK --- Employers Say Total Is 30 -Drop Plan to Import 100 --- Special to The Star Kitchener, March 27.- Police billies swung freely on the heads and shoulders of striking furniture workers, and a car which had just unloaded a group of strike-breakers had two windows smashed by strikers, outside the Edward St. plant of the Reliable Furniture Manufacturing Co. to-day as pickets attempted to prevent import of workers by the company.

The strikers, numbering more than 200, started to mob the first three strike-breakers as they made their way into the factory after emerging from a car. Fists flew and the strike- breakers ducked and dodged their way to the doorway, while Kitchener police waded into the mob with their billies. The situation was tense for a few minutes as strikers, strike-breakers, and police milled around the office door, but the police batons quickly discouraged the strikers. With a few bruises but no other visible injuries the strikers fell back, jeering the strike breakers and shouting imprecations at the police.

A few minutes later, at 7.45 a.m., came another carload of five, with an escort of half a dozen provincial police. The officers escorted the workers into the plant with no interference except cat-calls and jeering. As the car drove away from the plant, a striker aimed a fist through the open window beside the driver's seat. In a second there was a crowd around the car. From somewhere in the back of the crowd a stone was hurled, smashing the glass and splattering it on the driver. Police rushed in and broke up the crowd, but could not locate the marksman. As the car moved away. another stone crashed through the rear window of the car. There was a similar mystery as to its thrower.

Three more men entered the plant singly, between then and 8.30, only one being molested. Two strikers pounced on him. but were beaten off by police, who this time only threatened with their billies.

When the first fracas occurred, police grabbed one man and held him under arrest. The officers started looking for their car, but it could not be located. After consultation. they decided to let the man go with & warning. Only eleven men were counted entering the plant, although the management said they had 30 men working. All. according to strikers. came from out of town. One carload, they said, came from New Hamburg.

The anticipated importation of 109 or more men, as a result of the firm's advertisements for employees, did not take place. A representative of the company told The Star that they did not relish the idea of bringing men from out of town when there Were so many unemployed in Kitchener, but that they could not get Kitchener residents to work because they feared reprisals from the strikers.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"Extra Police Halt Trouble In Kitchener," Border Cities Star. May 7, 1934. Page 1. --- KITCHENER, Ont., May 7. - Ten special officers brought in from Guelph and Galt helped city police discourage further rioting at the plant of the Lang Tanning Company early this morning. Only a few untoward occurrences marked the day.

Several workers were attacked by a crowd of irate women, wives of strikers for the most part. One man carrying his dinner pail was collared by two healthy amazons and was given a real beating before police rushed up and freed him. A lone egg lobbed from the hand of another woman missed its mark and splattered on the pavement.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"REFUSE KITCHENER POLICE IN STRIKE," Sault Star (Sault Ste. Marie). May 8, 1934. Page 2. ---- Chief Hodgson Says Provincial Police Request Turned Down As Unavailable ---- Kitchener, Ont., May 8. - (CP) - Requests to the Ontario attorney-general's department for provincial police to augment the local constables in quelling strike disorders were refused, Chief of Police W. Hodgson said today.

"We were told that the provincial police were not available," the chief said. He added that word has come "from Toronto" to headquarters here that the provincial force was not available to aid in the strike disturbance.

Requests Refused Toronto, May 8. - (CP) - Requests for intervention of Ontario provincial police in the recent strike riots in Kitchener had been made to the attorney-general's department here and had been turned down, Ira A. Humphries, K.C., deputy Attorney-General said today.

"The situation is this," he explained. "The city has its own police force and police commission which may swear in extra constables in matters of this kind." The chief of police in Kitchener had requested the intervention of provincial police and the police commission had been in communication with him in connection with the situation, Mr. Humphries said. It was pointed out to the commission that ample provision was made under the Constables' Act for the swearing in of special constables to deal with local problems.

There always had been and always would be the closest co-operation be- tween the provincial and local police forces, he said, and in some circumstances requests for the provincial force were acted upon. Where it was decided the problem was a purely local one, affecting the property of citizens. it was left in the hands of local authorities.