May 27, 1916: 3000 members of the Marine Transport Workers of the IWW marched along the Philadelphia waterfront, leading to strikes at three non-union docks. Black and white Wobblies fought together against scabs and police. One of the main organizers of the Philadelphia waterfront was African American Wobbly, Ben Fletcher, who co-founded the interracial Local 8 in 1913. By 1916, thanks in large part to Fletcher’s organizing skill, all but two of Philadelphia’s docks were controlled by the IWW. And the union maintained control of the Philly waterfront for about a decade. You can read my complete biography of Fletcher here: https://www.michaeldunnauthor.com/2021/05/13/ben-fletcher-and-the-iww-dockers/

#workingclass #LaborHistory #IWW #union #dockers #philadelphia #longshore #benfletcher #racism #strike

Today in Labor History April 14, 1917: IWW sailors went on strike in Philadelphia and won a ten dollar per month raise. Ben Fletcher, an African-American IWW organizer, was instrumental in organizing the Philadelphia waterfront. Fletcher was born in Philly in 1890. He joined the Wobblies (IWW) in 1912, became secretary of the IWW District Council in 1913. He also co-founded the interracial Local 8 in 1913.

In 1913, Fletcher led 10,000 IWW Philly dockworkers on a strike. Within two weeks, they won a 10-hr day, overtime pay, & created one of the most successful antiracist, anticapitalist union locals in the U.S. At the time, roughly one-third of the dockers on the Philadelphia waterfront were black. Another 33% were Irish. And about 33% were Polish and Lithuanian. Prior to the IWW organizing drive, the employers routinely pitted black workers against white, and Polish against Irish. The IWW was one of the only unions of the era that organized workers into the same locals, regardless of race or ethnicity. And its main leader in Philadelphia was an African American, Ben Fletcher.

By 1916, thanks in large part to Fletcher’s organizing skill, all but two of Philadelphia’s docks were controlled by the IWW. And the union maintained control of the Philly waterfront for about a decade. At that time, roughly 10% of the IWW’s 1 million members were African American. Most had been rejected from other unions because of their skin color.

Fletcher also traveled up and down the east coast organizing dockers. However, he was nearly lynched in Norfolk, Virginia in 1917. And in 1918, the state arrested him, sentencing him to ten years for the crime of organizing workers during wartime. He served three years.

You can read my full biography of Ben Fletcher here: https://michaeldunnauthor.com/2021/05/13/ben-fletcher-and-the-iww-dockers/

#workingclass #LaborHistory #IWW #union #strike #benfletcher #racism #africanamerican #philadelphia #longshore #lynching #BlackMastadon

Today in Labor History March 15, 1877: Ben Fletcher, African-American IWW organizer was born on this date. Fletcher organized longshoremen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He joined the Wobblies (IWW) in 1912, became secretary of the IWW District Council in 1913. He also co-founded the interracial Local 8 in 1913. By 1916, thanks in large part to Fletcher’s organizing skill, all but two of Philadelphia’s docks were controlled by the IWW. And the union maintained control of the Philly waterfront for about a decade. After the 1913 strike, Fletcher traveled up and down the east coast organizing dockers. However, he was nearly lynched in Norfolk, Virginia in 1917. At that time, roughly 10% of the IWW’s 1 million members were African American. Most had been rejected from other unions because of their skin color. In 1918, the state arrested him, sentencing him to ten years for the crime of organizing workers during wartime. He served three years.

#workingclass #LaborHistory #IWW #BenFletcher #racism #AfricanAmerican #lynching #prison #union #strike #wobblies #longshore #philadelphia #BlackMastadon

In honor of Black History Month, a short biography of Ben Fletcher (April 13, 1890 – 1949), Wobbly and revolutionary. Fletcher joined the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) in 1912 and became secretary of the IWW District Council in 1913. He also co-founded the interracial Local 8 in 1913. Also in 1913, he led a successful strike of over 10,000 dockers. At that time, roughly one-third of the dockers on the Philadelphia waterfront were black. Another 33% were Irish. And about 33% were Polish and Lithuanian. Prior to the IWW organizing drive, the employers routinely pitted black workers against white, and Polish against Irish. The IWW was one of the only unions of the era that organized workers into the same locals, regardless of race or ethnicity. And its main leader in Philadelphia was an African American, Ben Fletcher.

By 1916, thanks in large part to Fletcher’s organizing skill, all but two of Philadelphia’s docks were controlled by the IWW. And the IWW maintained control of the Philly waterfront for about a decade. After the 1913 strike, Fletcher travelled up and down the east coast organizing dockers. However, he was nearly lynched in Norfolk, Virginia in 1917. At that time, roughly 10% of the IWW’s 1 million members were African American. Most had been rejected from other unions because of their skin color. In 1918, the state arrested him for treason, sentencing him to ten years, for the crime of organizing workers during wartime. He served three years. Fletcher supposedly said to Big Bill Haywood after the trial that the judge had been using “very ungrammatical language. . . His sentences are much too long.”

#workingclass #LaborHistory #IWW #benfletcher #union #strike #philadelphia #longshore #docker #waterfront #worldwarone #prison #antiwar #freespeech #racism #blackhistorymonth #BlackMastadon

Listening to #CoolPeopleDidCoolStuff and OMFG they're doing a Ben Fletcher episode. She didnt even say his name yet and I'm already crying. I'm so proud of my union @clydeside #BenFletcher #IWW

"Large mural near the Delaware River to remember Ben Fletcher and his union, IWW’s Local 8..."

#IWW #BenFletcher #Delaware

Via @pmpress

Today in Labor History June 11, 1913: Cops shot Black & White IWW members (Industrial Workers of the World) and AFL maritime workers in New Orleans. As a result, one worker died and two were injured. The imprisoned another 43 IWW members. They were striking against United Fruit Company for better wages. This strike was part of a strike wave at ports along the eastern seaboard, particularly in Philadelphia, led by African American IWW organizer Ben Fletcher. Most of these strikes were successful. However, the one in New Orleans was lost. United Fruit would go on to become one of the most powerful corporations of the 20th century. They ultimately controlled vast territories and transportation networks in Central America, Colombia, and the West Indies, and maintained a virtual monopoly in the so-called banana republics of Costa Rica, Honduras, and Guatemala. In 1954, they lobbied for the overthrow of the Arbenz government in Guatemala, which was successfully planned and orchestrated by the CIA, led by CIA-director Allan Dulles, who was also a board member of United Fruit. In the 1980s, United Fruit officially became Chiquita. Their violence and corruption were described in the works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Thomas Pynchon, O. Henry, and Pablo Neruda.

You can read my complete biography of Fletcher here: https://michaeldunnauthor.com/2021/05/13/ben-fletcher-and-the-iww-dockers/

#workingclass #LaborHistory
#cia #unitedfruit #union #IWW #strike #prison #benfletcher #philadelphia #neworleans #prison #wages #imperialism #writer #author #books #novel #poetry @bookstadon

@MikeDunnAuthor

https://laborhistorytoday.podbean.com/e/the-black-wobbly-gets-a-mural/

#BenFletcher #iww #Philadelphia #dockers #union

#BenFletcher #murals

https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10037/philadelphia-dockers-win-strike

https://laborhistorytoday.podbean.com/e/the-black-wobbly-gets-a-mural/

#workingclasshistory #iww #Philadelphia #dockers #strike

Sat. May 18th 2-4PM speaking portion beginning around 2:30PM. There will be food and beverages at the unveiling, and Spruce Street Harbor Park #Philadelphia just up the pier. There’s live music and living history so bring the whole family out. The address is 301 S Columbus Blvd.

Also book author Peter Cole on “Ben Fletcher: The Life of a Black Wobbly” at #WoodenShoeBooks on Thursday, May 16th learn more about #BenFletcher and #iww Local 8 #union

https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10037/philadelphia-dockers-win-strike

https://laborhistorytoday.podbean.com/e/the-black-wobbly-gets-a-mural/

#Philadelphia May 18th #BenFletcher #iww

Today in Labor History April 14, 1917: IWW sailors went on strike in Philadelphia and won a ten dollar per month raise. Ben Fletcher, an African-American IWW organizer, was instrumental in organizing the Philadelphia waterfront. Fletcher was born in Philly in 1890. He joined the Wobblies (IWW) in 1912, became secretary of the IWW District Council in 1913. He also co-founded the interracial Local 8 in 1913.

In 1913, Fletcher led 10,000 IWW Philly dockworkers on a strike. Within two weeks, they won 10-hr day, overtime pay, & created one of the most successful antiracist, anticapitalist union locals in the U.S. At the time, roughly one-third of the dockers on the Philadelphia waterfront were black. Another 33% were Irish. And about 33% were Polish and Lithuanian. Prior to the IWW organizing drive, the employers routinely pitted black workers against white, and Polish against Irish. The IWW was one of the only unions of the era that organized workers into the same locals, regardless of race or ethnicity. And its main leader in Philadelphia was an African American, Ben Fletcher.

By 1916, thanks in large part to Fletcher’s organizing skill, all but two of Philadelphia’s docks were controlled by the IWW. And the union maintained control of the Philly waterfront for about a decade. At that time, roughly 10% of the IWW’s 1 million members were African American. Most had been rejected from other unions because of their skin color.

Fletcher also traveled up and down the east coast organizing dockers. However, he was nearly lynched in Norfolk, Virginia in 1917. And in 1918, the state arrested him, sentencing him to ten years for the crime of organizing workers during wartime. He served three years.

#workingclass #LaborHistory #IWW #union #strike #benfletcher #racism #africanamerican #philadelphia #longshore #lynching #espionage #antiwar #wwi #prison #sedition #anticapitalist #BlackMastadon

Today in Labor History March 15, 1877: Ben Fletcher, African-American IWW organizer was born on this date. Fletcher organized longshoremen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He joined the Wobblies (IWW) in 1912, became secretary of the IWW District Council in 1913. He also co-founded the interracial Local 8 in 1913. By 1916, thanks in large part to Fletcher’s organizing skill, all but two of Philadelphia’s docks were controlled by the IWW. And the union maintained control of the Philly waterfront for about a decade. After the 1913 strike, Fletcher traveled up and down the east coast organizing dockers. However, he was nearly lynched in Norfolk, Virginia in 1917. At that time, roughly 10% of the IWW’s 1 million members were African American. Most had been rejected from other unions because of their skin color. In 1918, the state arrested him, sentencing him to ten years for the crime of organizing workers during wartime. He served three years.

#workingclass #LaborHistory #IWW #BenFletcher #racism #AfricanAmerican #lynching #prison #union #strike #wobblies #longshore #philadelphia #BlackMastadon

Today, in honor of Black History Month, we celebrate the life of Ben Fletcher (April 13, 1890 – 1949), Wobbly and revolutionary. Fletcher joined the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) in 1912 and became secretary of the IWW District Council in 1913. He also co-founded the interracial Local 8 in 1913. Also in 1913, he led a successful strike of over 10,000 dockers. At that time, roughly one-third of the dockers on the Philadelphia waterfront were black. Another 33% were Irish. And about 33% were Polish and Lithuanian. Prior to the IWW organizing drive, the employers routinely pitted black workers against white, and Polish against Irish. The IWW was one of the only unions of the era that organized workers into the same locals, regardless of race or ethnicity. And its main leader in Philadelphia was an African American, Ben Fletcher.

By 1916, thanks in large part to Fletcher’s organizing skill, all but two of Philadelphia’s docks were controlled by the IWW. And the IWW maintained control of the Philly waterfront for about a decade. After the 1913 strike, Fletcher travelled up and down the east coast organizing dockers. However, he was nearly lynched in Norfolk, Virginia in 1917. At that time, roughly 10% of the IWW’s 1 million members were African American. Most had been rejected from other unions because of their skin color. In 1918, the state arrested him for treason, sentencing him to ten years, for the crime of organizing workers during wartime. He served three years. Fletcher supposedly said to Big Bill Haywood after the trial that the judge had been using “very ungrammatical language. . . His sentences are much too long.”

#workingclass #LaborHistory #IWW #benfletcher #union #strike #philadelphia #longshore #docker #waterfront #wwi #racism #blackhistorymonth #BlackMastadon

Another book I want to read/buy. Maybe I have to order the ebook, to avoid getting broke. The author, Peter Cole, was at the #Pinksterlanddagen. Only I missed his book presentation, what I regret.

*Ben Fletcher: The Life and Times of a Black Wobbly*

https://www.pmpress.org/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1209

"In the early twentieth century, when many US unions disgracefully excluded black and Asian workers, the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) warmly welcomed people of color, in keeping with their emphasis on class solidarity and their bold motto: “An Injury to One Is an Injury to All!” Ben Fletcher: The Life and Times of a Black Wobbly tells the story of one of the greatest heroes of the American working class.

A brilliant union organizer and a humorous orator, Benjamin Fletcher (1890–1949) was a tremendously important and well-loved African American member of the IWW during its heyday. Fletcher helped found and lead Local 8 of the IWW’s Marine Transport Workers Industrial Union, unquestionably the most powerful interracial union of its era, taking a principled stand against all forms of xenophobia and exclusion. …"

#BenFletcher #IWW #anarchism #AfricanAmerican #blackAnarchism

RT @ProfPeterCole@twitter.com

While so easy to get caught up in the latest horrific news, #BenFletcher and other #Wobblies in @iww@twitter.com would remind us that there's one true war, the class war. btw I'm currently revising my #book on Fletcher for @PMPressOrg@twitter.com. Coming to a radical bookshop near you late in 2020 https://twitter.com/BlackSocialists/status/1161013725731708932

🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/ProfPeterCole/status/1214723825239306241