The 1921–1928 Newport, Kentucky steel strike was a labor dispute between steel workers in Newport, Kentucky and Andrews Steel Co., the owners of the Andrew Steel Plant and Newport Rolling Mill.
The strike was primarily over continued union recognition of the three unskilled steel locals who had won collective bargaining during World War I. Following the end of the war the company refused to recognize them, only recognizing the skilled local No. 5. This was part of a much broader anti-union open shop push by employers all across America postwar.
During the strike a significant amount of conflict occurred, first with the private armed militia hired by the company and the strikers, and later with the Kentucky National Guard after Governor Morrow would call them in, including eventually the use of Tank Corps. In total a least +25 were injured during the strike. It was also marked by Prohibition and a crackdown on alcohol and gambling in Newport by militia, who were accused of using it as a pretext to crackdown on strikers and public officials who supported them. Including the charging of the Mayor of Newport on conspiracy charges, which would later be dropped.
The strike would ultimately be broken, unofficially ending in late April, 1922 with many workers finding jobs in other mills. It officially ended on July 7, 1928, when the union formally called off the strike.
Background
The dispute began with four union locals when Andrews Steel Co. attempted to institute a wage reduction to 28¢ an hour and to change the workplace from a closed union shop to an open shop. The strike involved one in five of all workers in the town, as it was the dominant industry.
During World War I, the three less skilled steel union locals No. 15, 16 & 17 gained greater bargaining power then they had before and gained union recognition. While Local No. 5, the highly skilled steel workers had already been a recognized union by the company for 30 years.
The steel industry faced a downturn as a result of overproduction of steel by business owners during the war, where steel demand plummeted after the war's end. The labor contract then expired in early 1921, where the company swiftly announced they would no longer recognize Locals No. 15, 16, & 17 and their intent on establishing an open shop. The company attempted to establish a separate agreement with Local No. 5, but they refused, in solidarity with the other unions.
Contract negotiations further broke down after company owner William N. Andrews told the union negotiator to "go to hell." Where after, union workers called the strike.
Strike
On October 5, 1921, workers at Andrews Steel Co. began the strike after voting in favor the day before.
The main contention for workers was not the reduction in wages. But instead the company's refusal to recognize the union locals for those in the unskilled labor section of the Newport Rolling Mill. Union members made a statement in December they were willing to take a cut in wages, but wouldn't return under an open shop plan. The two mills the proposal would effect employed more than 2,000 workers together.
On November 30, the company threatened that they would fire any employee who refused the new proposed wage and open shop. The letter began as follows:
It reportedly had little effect.
On December 8, strikers were put under an injunction by Judge A.M.J Cochran, of the U.S District Court to make it illegal for them to picket. This injunction was made permanent on December 15. Reportedly, seven strikebreakers were shot at that Thursday morning while in an automobile leaving from the plant but, no was injured in the event.
A few days before December 16, the company set up 36 machine guns at the plants. The company also hired a private armed force, described by one as "gray-eyed mountaineers with rifles".
The workers picketed as follows; At the corner of each street leading to the mill, strikers stood guard around makeshift campfires. They would stop anyone passing by to ask where they were going and inform them about the strike. The presence was 24/7 and shifts changed twice a day and twice a night. They also had a soup kitchen set up at the back of a local grocery and surrounding tenants helped provide coals for the campfires, both which help sustain the picket. At night searchlights on the plants owned by the company would then flood the streets with blinding light at night.
On December 16 at 8pm, a strikebreaker leaving the plant was reported to have fired shots at several strikers who were on picket duty. According to police, the strikebreaker then ran before he could be apprehended. This incident was filed by nearby police patrolmen and several complaints filed by residents about the shooting.
The next day, Judge Wolff handed down a ruling making it illegal for more than two men to publicly assembly at paths leading to the company plants. Two strikebreakers were shot at on 9th and Brighton street as they were on their way into the plant, past a large crowd. Workers continued picketing.
The same morning the Newport Rolling Mill Co.'s plant fired shots from its machine guns, at 3:25 o'clock that Saturday morning. A nearby resident who lived by the plant, William O'Connell, told police a bullet was fired into her home. Eugene Weatherby, police chief of directly adjacent city of Cincinnati, corroborated this, hearing shots fired early that morning. Plant owner W.N. Andrews denied this. Later that day, at 5 pm her husband heard two more shots.
At 7am December 19, two strikebreakers were shot at on 9th and Brighton street as they were on their way into the plant, past a large crowd. With Chester Starnes shot in the left leg, and Stanley Leifheit shot in the chest & left leg. That day the company would also publicly mention appealing to Kentucky Governor Edwin P. Morrow to send in state troops to the town. With company owner W.N Andrews stating, "unless the city government protects our property and men we will have to appeal to Governor Morrow to send us protection."
Early in the morning on December 20, a barrage of around 200 bullets, hit 20 houses. Nobody known was hit but reportedly some had narrow escapes. Nearby local residents uninvolved with the strike reported bullets hitting their homes, and coming from the steel plant. That day women in the town formed a delegation to call on Mayor Hermann to stop the indiscriminate firing from the plant.
When Governor Morrow was asked whether he would be sending troops to Newport he replied, "I'm not answering rumors, but when I send troops, you will know it."
On Thursday, December 22, Christ Ebert, Newport commissioner of public safety, also sent a letter to Edwin P. Morrow asking him to not intervene, saying:
Newport Rev. W. B. Harvey also sent letters to both to the union and Newport Rolling Mill Co. offering to help hold negotiations between representatives each side selects with meeting to allow the public to attend. The union accepted the offer after receiving the letter.
That Friday night starting at 10 pm, bullets were shot from the mill into the Newport neighborhood. The big searchlight on the mill was turned on Brighton street. Then there was a general rush to cover by picketers, and sympathizers standing on the street. Newport local police also took cover. Then shots rung out from the mill. That night Governor Morrow ordered four militia companies to arrive in Newport the next day.
Troops arrive
On the morning of December 24, 250 state troopers under the command of Col. H. H. Denhardt arrived in Newport, Kentucky.In the drizzling rain they marched to the mill, men and children of the town jeered and cursed at them. While marching into the plant several shots fired out. In response troops stopped and set up a machine gun. After ten minutes of quiet, the gun was dismantled and taken into the plant.
At one point when troop officers neared the plant, a woman confronted the Adjutant General Jackson Morris with tears streaming down here face, she cried out:
Morris paused the march and replied that were here not to shoot but protect them.
That evening, a militia member was accidentally killed by another soldier from an accidental discharge. Reportedly Charles Black fainted, falling into Robert Deaton, knocking Deaton's firearm from their holster. Which then hit the ground, discharging and killing Deaton.
The mills were shut down for two days due to the plant observing Christmas as a holiday. A conference between the union officers, Col. Denhardt, and Adjunct Morris was held on the Dec. 25. There Morris said they would permit two union men to be at the gates leading into the mill, changing shifts as often as they wanted and that they could gather in the huts nearby to the plant, since they were on private property. Morris lastly promised that there would be no more overnight 'bunking' at the plant by nonunion workers at the mill, instead leaving the mill everyday.
Strikers were also told by the military that everyone of the private armed guards in the mill had been sent out. Workers continued with pickets, having two on duty at all hours at the mill gate. Workers also had picket shanties along Brighton St., covering all connected streets that lead to the Newport Rolling Mill. Soldiers also patrolled Brighton St.
Company owner W.N Andrews, announced he would be attending the conference by Rev. W. B. Harvey to attempt to settle the strike between the company and union. He cited the presence of troops for the company's decision to now accept the invitation. On December 27, union leaders and the company arranged for a public meeting the next day at the First Baptist Church, overseen by Rev. W. B. Harvey.
Rev. Harvey proposed eight propositions from which the two groups could negotiate around in the meeting. The union was receptive to it, saying if proposition 1, that the company will recognize and treat with the unions, was accepted the others were flexible. However the company's unwillingness to not have an open shop lead to a standstill in negotiations.
According to the Kentucky Post, Edward W. Miller president elect of Union Local 5. mentioned during a speech at the meeting that striking mill workers had seen the I.W.W since the start of trouble at the mill,
Two more companies of troops arrived the night of December 28, for a total of 330 militia men in Newport. This was on the orders of Governor Morrow in response to updates he had received from Col. Dendhart about the town. Col. Dendhart announced that they were preparing for a long stay in Newport. On December 29, the guard lines around the Newport Rolling Mills were extended (northeast to York Street & onto all four bridges) using the two new companies of militia that arrived the night before. Barracks were also being erected near the mill to house soldiers. Col. Denhardt said that in the event of taking complete control of the city, it would be designated a "Military Control Zone" instead of being under Martial Law as only federal authorities are allowed to do so. But, he noted, that there was no practical difference.
That day Gov. Morrow prepared to ask the state general assembly the authority to remove local police officers in Newport who he deemed were not doing their job. He also asked for them to give city authorities power to remove police judges and marshals. Alongside this, Morrow was expected to issue recommendations for Prohibition enforcement across the state. Early in the morning on January 1, a firefight occurred between a large group on the Covington side of the Licking River and Newport Militia at the Rolling Mill. Its suspected that said group were likely striking workers and supporters.