Pennsylvania

1877: The Great Railroad Strike

Workers blockade an engine in the 1877 strike - illustrated in Harpers magazine

Howard Zinn's short history of the biggest industrial dispute in American history by that time, shutting down half the country's rail network.

Beginning with opposition to wage cuts and poor conditions the strikes led to near-insurrections in parts of Pennsylvania. Heavy repression hit the strikers and other American workers and despite winning some concessions eventually the strikes were broken, leaving 100 dead.
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9 Sep 2006 by Steven.
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