Haymarket Originals: Heat the Ground Up

Sam-Adler Bell, from the Know Your Enemy podcast, discusses the CIO's influence on American politics, labor history, and the rise of the conservative movement. Topics include the internal struggles of the American working class, the role of communism in labor organizing, and the evolution of labor movement ideologies from progressive to right-wing. The episode explores historical figures like Father Charles Coughlin, challenges within the labor movement, and the impact of cultural alliances on the working class.

Episode 10 of Fragile Juggernaut surveys the wide range of workers who united–and sometimes fought each other–under the banner of the CIO. We begin in the slaughterhouse, with special guest Rick Halpern explaining how the United Packinghouse Workers of America (PWOC/UPWA) brought together black and white workers despite segregation inside and outside the workplace. Then, the hosts discuss two of the largest CIO unions: the United Steel Workers (USWA/SWOC) and the United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers (UE). These two unions are often thought of, respectively, as emblematic of the “right” and “left” wings of the CIO. But what does that mean? And why did these two unions develop the way they did?   Featured music: “The Cloakmaker’s Union” (Joe Glazer); “Killing Floor” (Howlin’ Wolf); “Hard Times Killing Floor” (Skip James); “Odpocivam v Americkej pode/I Lie in the American Land” (written by Andrew Kovaly, performed by Vivien Richman); “Spirit of Phil Murray” (Sterling Jubilee Singers).  Archival audio credits: UPWA oral histories recorded and generously provided by Rick Halpern; Deadline for Action (UE, 1946); James Matles Retirement Speech via UE History; oral histories of James Downey, Tom Girdler, Jr., and Harold Ruttenberg via AAPB. Buy Rick Halpern's Down on the Killing Floor Black and White Workers in Chicago's Packinghouses, 1904-54: https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p066337Fragile Juggernaut is a Haymarket Originals podcast exploring the history, politics, and strategic lessons of the Congress of Industrial Organizations and the rank and file insurgency that produced it. Support Fragile Juggernaut on Patreon and receive our exclusive bimonthly newsletter, full of additional insights, reading recommendations, and archival materials we’ve amassed along the way. Socialism 2024 is coming up soon! Visit socialismconference.org to learn more about the conference and register today.

Exploring the roots of American fascism in the 1930s, connection between Italian fascism and US events, parallels between Jim Crow laws and fascism, the global spread of concentration camps in the 1930s, violent strikes in California, rise of fascist and anti-fascist ideologies, collaboration between leftist groups, cultural diversity within workers' movements, complexities of the popular front movement, and the impact of WWII and the Cold War on labor movements.

Exploring the political landscape of 1936, FDR's re-election prospects amidst workers' insurgencies, the CIO's relationship with electoral politics, and the evolving links between leftwing intellectuals, the CIO, and the Democratic Party. Delving into the historic shift in economic strategy during Roosevelt's administration, the significance of the Social Security Act, labor party movements, challenges to Roosevelt's re-election, labor movements, espionage, and the Lefallet Committee's investigation. Examining election dynamics, coalition building, and the transformation of the Southern economy.

Explore the powerful impact of sit-down strikes in the labor movement, the global spread of the strike tactic, and the fight against spies. Hear about the street battles in Flint, Cleveland, Kansas City, and Atlanta. Discover the architectonics of capital and the union insurgency that shaped the labor movement.

Special guest Eric Blanc discusses the passage of the Wagner Act and the founding of the CIO, highlighting the significance of transformative labor laws and the raucous AFL convention in Atlantic City. The episode delves into high politics, institutional history, and the impact of autonomous state actors on historical change.

Exploring the strikes of 1934 in Toledo, San Francisco, and Minneapolis showcasing the power of working class self-activity and fighting unionism. Highlights include the revolutionary ethos, challenges faced by the workers, intense confrontations, and the rise of the CIO. Delve into the struggles of auto workers unions, ideological divisions in the strikes, escalating tensions, and the strategic importance of rank-and-file leadership in union movements.

Explore the social impact of the Great Depression, from challenges of survival to defending working-class life. Dive into the history and politics of the Congress of Industrial Organizations and the struggles of the working class. Learn about the rise of industrial unionism, the Scottsboro Boys case, and the impact of transience and radical initiatives during the Depression era.

The podcast explores the impact of World War I on labor movements, the tumultuous 1919 coal strike, and the evolving relationship between organized labor and the Democratic Party. It delves into historical events like the Seattle general strike and the role of worker schools in shaping future social movements. The chapter also discusses the strategies of Communists in the labor movement and the symbolism of music in industrial unionism.

The podcast explores the labor movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, focusing on workers' opposition in the face of economic shifts. It delves into the rise of the American Federation of Labor, the Garment Trades' organization, and the impact of the needle trades industry on immigrant radicalism. The narrative also covers the rise of key labor movement figures like Eugene Debs and the Knights of Labor's initiation ceremonies.