On this day in Labor History the year was 1969.
The Governor of South Carolina sent 1,000 state troopers and National Guardsmen to Charleston.
They were sent there to deal with striking hospital workers who wanted union recognition.
The strike had started on March 19 at the Medical College Hospital.
A little over a week later, more than sixty black workers from the Charleston County Hospital joined the strike in solidarity.
The Governor was determined to use every tactic at his disposal to break the strike.
He worried that if the strikers were successful unionization efforts would spread throughout the other sectors of state employees.
During the strike a hotel room of one union organizers was bombed by an unknown assailant
Soldiers with bayonets marched through the streets of Charleston.
Hundreds of picketers were arrested, including teenagers who had joined the protest.
The Governor had gone as far as imposing a 9 pm curfew on people to keep them off of the streets.
But the workers were determined to win their rights.
The United Autoworkers sent $10,000 to support the striking workers.
Civil Rights leaders from across the nation came to South Carolina to support the workers.
Andrew Young and Ralph Abernathy of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference were among those arrested.
Coretta Scott King, the widow of Dr. King, gave a speech. Saying “Hospital workers have been working full time jobs at part-time pay. After all, $1.30 an hour is not a wage. It is an insult. I also have another interest for being here and that is many of the hospital workers throughout our nation are women, black women, many of whom are the main supporters of their families.”
The hospital workers were able to win a grievance process and modest pay increases.
Although they did not win union recognition, they inspired hospital workers across the country.
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Labor History in 2:00 brought to you by the Illinois Labor History Society and The Rick Smith Show