Today in Labor History June 15, 1381: The authorities executed rebel leader Wat Tyler (1350-1381), Smithfields, London.
1600s
Today in Labor History June 15, 1648: The authorities hanged Margaret Jones in Boston for witchcraft. She was the first woman executed for witchcraft in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The witch hunt lasted from 1648 to 1693. During that time, they accused over 80 people of witchcraft and executed 13 women and 2 men. Jones was a midwife and practiced medicine. They accused her because of these occupations.
1900s-1910s
Today in Labor History June 15, 1913: U.S. troops finally ended the Moro Uprising (1899-1913) in the Philippines, with the extermination of 500 men, women and children. The Moros (Muslims of Mindinao, Jolo and Sulu) had refused to submit to American colonization after resisting the Spanish for 400 years.
Today in Labor History June 15, 1914: The Allegheny Congenial Industrial Union (ACIU) struck against Westinghouse, in Pittsburgh. They were demanding union recognition and protesting against the “scientific management” theories of Frederick Taylor. They also wanted an eight-hour day, reinstatement of fired workers, and higher overtime and holiday rates. Women played a major role in the strike. Bridget Kenny organized marches and recruited workers to join the ACIU. She had worked for Westinghouse, but they fired her in 1913 for selling union benefit tickets on company grounds.
Espionage Act
Today in Labor History June 15, 1917: President Woodrow Wilson signed the Espionage Act into law. The law targeted leftist, anti-war and labor organizations, especially the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). Because of the arrests and deportations of IWW members, the law virtually destroyed the IWW. When Eugene Debs spoke against the draft in Canton, Ohio, the authorities arrested and sentenced him to 10 years in prison. He ran for president from prison in 1920, winning nearly 1 million votes (3.4%).
The government used the law to arrest anarchists Emma Goldman and Alexander Berkman and depart them to the Soviet Union. They used the law against the Rosenbergs, whom they executed. They also used it against Daniel Ellsberg, whose “Pentagon Papers” were published by the NY Times 50 years ago this week. The Espionage Act is still on the books. The government recently used it to prosecute Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden.
Today in Labor History June 15, 1947: The CIO expelled the Fur and Leather Workers and the American Communications Association for “communist” activities.
Today in Labor History June 15, 1950: As part of their Cold War hysteria, the Senate opened an investigation of 3,500 alleged “sex perverts” (i.e., homosexuals) in the federal government, somehow overlooking their cross-dressing darling in the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover.
June 15, 1990: Los Angeles cops attacked 500 janitors who were peacefully demonstrating in the Battle of Century City. The event generated public outrage that resulted in recognition of the workers’ union and spurred the creation of an annual June 15 Justice for Janitors Day.