The fight for an eight-hour workday began in the early 1800s but really took hold in Chicago in 1886. On May 1, the first Labor Day parade in support of the eight-hour workday was held.
On May 3, thousands of workers went on strike for an eight-hour workday. Police killed many of them.
On May 4, in response to what happened to the strikers the day before, the Hay Market incident occurred, where police and more strikers were killed.
Since then there have been many strikes and people killed and injured to uphold work rules and wages. This has now become useless history.
This month, using a contract known as the national maintenance agreement, BP in Whiting asked the Northwest Indiana Building Trades Council to go from a five-day, eight-hour week to a four-day, 10-hour week with no overtime pay. With no one even getting dirty, the NWI Building Trades undid a 120-year agreement.
I believe the NWI Building Trades owe an apology to all the retired workers for giving away what they fought to keep, and to the younger members for not fighting for them.
For the rest of us, the struggle will continue.
- Kevin L. Cornett, Valparaiso
