The 1917 Bloomington Streetcar Strike was a labor dispute starting on May 28, 1917 when ATU Local 752 called a strike for union recognition, increased pay, and a shortened workday.
Facing a strike, Bloomington & Normal Street Railway & Light offered a 20¢ a day increase before the strike but refused to give union recognition, so the union struck. A month into the strike Mother Jones rallied for the cause.
It ended in July when the mayor of Bloomington, E.E. Jones, mediated contract talks between the workers and company from July 6 to 9. During this, Illinois National Guard had been stationed outside the courthouse where mediation was occurring and B&N's power plant, equipped with machine gun emplacements.
An agreement was reached on July 9, 1917, in a victory for the union, winning recognition, reduced hours, and increased pay.
See also
1917 Twin Cities streetcar strike
Further reading The Daily Pantagraph, 1917 Streetcar Strike Articles Collection Sasic, Eme. Bloomington to celebrate centennial of street car strike. Retrieved 2023-04-08. Raye, Janet (August 19, 2017). Bloomington IL Street Car Strike of 1917. Retrieved 2023-04-08. Sobota, Lenore (July 2, 2017). A walk through time: Bloomington's 1917 streetcar strike. pantagraph.com. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
References
Notes