Larger numbers of pickets, their union buttons temporarily concealed, tanned out in strategic positions around the district ... Several hundred uniformed copr were on hand in the market, along with compurable numbers of special deputies... About nine a.m. scab drivers backed six trucks up to the leading dock -.. and the light was on. *With the cops deployed on the assumption that they knew the union's strength, the 600 pickets waiting at the AFL hall were ordered into battle and they moved out in military formation.. With the workers challenging them, club against club, most of the deputies took to their heels, leaving the uniformed cops on their own. More police were rushed in from posts in the main business district, The union quickly countered this move by summoning hundreds of reserves from the strike headquarters. "In an act of desperation, the cops drew their guns, threatening to shoot; but they seemed hesitant to resort to such extreme measures, and that gave us a little time to do something about it. As matters stood they were pretty well bunched up, with an open field of fire against the strikers. To solve the problem they had to be scattered among the pickets... The remaming reserves at strike headquarters were loaded into trucks... the lead truck... was told to rush to the market, ignoring all traffic rules, and to drive right into the midst of the cops... The pickets jumped out of the truck onto the cops who, being unable to shoot without hitting one unother, had to continue fighting with clubs. After that, Police Chief Johannes decided to call it a day ... In a three-hour slugfest the union had fought the trained police to a draw, and not a single truck bad been moved: done.
ommittee of 100 chosen from the ranks o Local 574.
Several steps had been taken to strengthen the mon's position, Relations with the farmers association had been renewed, and the working alliance. with the unemployed was extended by the convening of an all-union conference on the problems of the unemployed. A central council of workers was set up: ... a delegated body of representatives from various workers organisations such as unem ployed formations, trade unions, labour political groups, workers" fraternal ansociations, cooperative movements. youth, and women's organisations of a working class nature." Every effort was made to unify the entire Minnepolis trade union movement around the forthunion branch meetings throughout the town. and a jout conference of local unions was organised. This body called a mass demonstration and meeting in which some 15,000 purticipated. The union began the publication of its own weekly paper, The Organiser, and this was turned into a daily on the eve of the strike, The Minneapolis working class movement was effectively unified and thoroughly prepared for the battles to come.
Capitalist violence The bosses and the police replied more violently than on the previous occasion. Armed police book on the job of escorting scab trucks and breaking the power of the mobile picket squads, There was only one way this could be On 20 July the inevitable step was taken: 150 cops opened fire with shot guns on unarmed A one-day strike of transpurt workers broucht the city to a balt on Monday 23rd. And the following day over 5000 unemployed walked off the government puhile works projects in support of 574 and to press their own demands for trade union rates of relief. On that same day the funeral of Henry Ness, one of the militants murdered by the pouce, made its way through the streets of Minneapolis accompanied by a mass match of 20,000. Another 20,000 waited at strike headquarters for the arrival of the PERCONUT.
This massive display of working class unity and determination created the conditions necessary for 574 to resume its picketing under the very guns which had murdered their comrades. The struggle went on for anotber month. The union had to weather red-batting from the trade union officials, the use of the National Guard by the left Farmer-Labour State Governor, Olson, to break the strike, the arrest of their leaders, and continung armed harassment of their picket squads. But Local 574 won.
The way to win This steuggle shows how victory can be won by the working class movement even under the most difficult of circumstances and against the most determined enemy. What is required is a clear political undersranding of the need to build the greatest practical unity of the work ing class around the strugele, and the abilicy to carry on the tight rite cavely azainst th capitalist class and their police force. These two sides of the struggle hack one anotber up: the abiaty of one section of the class to take on the all-powerful atate machine and fight it to a standstill inspires the rest of the class to take up this cause as their own and to join in the fight. The broadest, fighting unity of the manes weakens the hand of the capitalise state machine and restrains them from using their might to crush what would otberwise be an isolated struggle. Two excellent books, both written by leading participants in these events, give a fuil account of this great period of struggle: Teamster Rebellion, by Farrell Dobbs, Is a personal ac count of the Minneapolis Teamsters' strike by one of its leaders; Labor's Giant Step, by Art Preis, a leader of the Lucas County Unemployed League and involved in the Toledo AutoLite strike, gives a broad overview of American trade union struggles in this period. Both can be obtained from Red Books, 24 Boundary Road, London N.W.8 - Teamster Rebellion -95р. & 15p. p & p; Labor's Giant Step - E1.65 8 25p. p 8 p.
Vote for 574 in the Elections Make Minneapolis a Union Town The Organizer: Victory is won Red Weedy 15 June 1973 Page E
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coming struggle of Local 574. Rank-and-file militants from 574 spoke at trade
THE OPGANIZAR VICTORY! Settlement Goes Through!