100 years ago in Spokane: Teamsters threaten to strike
The teamsters and chauffeurs’ union, which had as many as 800 employed members, were planning to strike in two days. They were demanding higher pay and a closed shop.
The Spokane Daily Chronicle predicted that “auto and horse traffic in Spokane” would be paralyzed if the strike was not averted.
Union milk drivers also were considering a strike.
Teamsters were asking for raises from a range of $2.75 to $4.50 a day to $3.25 to $5 a day.
A union official said the Teamsters publicly released it demands six weeks earlier to try to avoid a strike, but that employers had mostly ignored them. He added that the union’s closed shop proposal still would give businesses some ability to hire non-union workers.
Meanwhile, bakers, cooks and waiters were in contract negotiations and were expected to settle without having to strike.
Jim Kershner is on sabbatical.