Turning Points
in Wisconsin History
The Sheboygan Press covers the strike in Kohler, 1934
Sheboygan Press Kohler Strike articles, July 1934
In 1934, employees of the Kohler Company attempted to organize a union over the objections of company president Walter J. Kohler, who had a different interpretation of a labor law that allowed employees to organize and bargain collectively. Kohler believed that his workers could organize but he did not think that any union should have exclusive bargaining power--a right claimed by the newly formed AFL Union of Kohler workers. After Kohler refused to bargain with them, the workers declared a general strike on July 16th. The relatively peaceful strike took a violent turn on July 27th when special deputies broke through the picket lines to escort a coal car that strikers had turned back. A battle ensued outside the plant that left two strikers dead and over 40 wounded. The next day, Governor Schmedeman called out the National Guard to restore order.
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These articles from July of 1934 have been generously provided by the Sheboygan Press.
| Related Topics: |
The Progressive Era Industrialization and Urbanization The Birth of the Labor Movement The Rise of Skilled Manufacturing Depression and Unemployment |
| Creator: | Sheboygan Press |
| Pub Data: | Sheboygan, Wis.: Sheboygan Press, 1934. |
| Citation: | Sheboygan Press articles. (Sheboygan, Wis.: Sheboygan Press, 1934); online facsimile at http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/turningpoints/search.asp?id=1529 Online facsimile at: http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/turningpoints/search.asp?id=1529; Visited on: 5/12/2024 |