Jan. 26, 1695 In what could be considered the first workers’ compensation agreement in America, pirate Henry Morgan pledges his underlings 600 pieces of eight or six slaves to compensate for a lost arm or leg. Also part of the pirate’s code, reports Roger Newell: shares of the booty were equal regardless of race or sex, and shipboard decisions were made collectively..
Unions, Supporters Honor Dr. King, Rally for Workers' Rights
All across the country, thousands of Teamsters turned out April 4th for rallies commemorating the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
More than 1,000 mobilizations nationally were organized under the “We Are One” umbrella, in which more than a million workers stopped business as usual either at work or after work to join vigils at their workplace, community rallies or marches at statehouses, coordinated by the AFL-CIO and many unions, community, religious and student groups. About 2,000 people marched from the Treasury Department to the offices of Kock Industries, headquarters of right-wing funders Charles and David Koch. Demonstrators carried signs saying "I Am A Man," "I Am A Woman" and "I Am A Worker," which linked "the current struggles with the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers strike King was supporting when he was assassinated. More here hereat TeamsterNation and at LaborNotes Day of Action pro-worker activities made headlines all across the nation. Take a look over at LaborStart.US and nytimes.com
