On May 26, 1937, SWOC launched a strike against Little Steel after attempting for a year to negotiate with the companies. The strikers wanted a union, the ability to negotiate as a group with their employers, and the right to strike and pick...
By the second week of May, it was evident that Little Steel would not seriously negotiate with the union--and rank and filers were becoming visibly agitated and had begun to endorse a strike.
As Possibility of Strike Looms, Steel Companies Prepare for War
By May 5, 1937, with a steel strike looming, the sheriff of Mahoning County, Ohio (where Youngstown is located) had sworn in 214 deputies. Fifty-seven were on Republic Steel’s payroll and 114 on Sheet &...
