July 20 - Bloody Friday

Labor History in 2:00

On this day in labor history, the year was 1934.

That was the day that came to be known as Bloody Friday.

Minneapolis Teamsters had been on strike for three days in their third strike of the year.

The trucking bosses had reneged on their May settlement.

They refused to recognize union organization of inside workers.

In the period between strikes, the union had documented hundreds of cases of discrimination.

Now, 7,000 Teamsters effectively shut down trucking throughout the city. Local 574 leaders established a daily strike bulletin.

The Organizer, as it was called, would serve to guide strikers to victory.

In his book, Revolutionary Teamsters,historian Bryan Palmer notes that the first few days of the strike had been quiet.

Then on this day, police attempted to break the picket lines by running what seemed to be a lone scab truck through the lines.

It was later discovered the truck was moving no merchandise, but was used to draw strikers into a confrontation.

When flying pickets moved to stop the truck, they were ambushed. Police opened fire on unarmed pickets and then sprayed those who attempted to escape with buckshot.

At least 48 were wounded. Striker Henry Ness and Unemployed Council supporter John Belor were killed.

Palmer notes that Ness had been shot point blank in the chest. Doctors pulled 38 slugs from his body.

“His death bed injunction repeated word of mouth among the strikers: “Tell the boys not to fail me now.”

More than 40,000 turned out to pay their respects to the World War I veteran and father of four. Palmer adds that, “Bloody Friday had lasted a matter of minutes.

But its’ meaning would leave a mark on the very fabric of Minneapolis socio-economic relations…”