The Seattle General Strike was a work stoppage by more than 65,000 workers in Seattle begun on February 6, 1919. The strike began in shipyards when workers were refused pay increases after two years of World War I wage controls. Most of the city's 110 local unions, including members of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), joined the walkout in solidarity with the shipyard workers. Although the strike was non-violent and union members continued to meet the city's basic and emergency needs, government officials, the press, and much of the public viewed the strike as a radical attempt to subvert U. S. institutions. Federal officials charged with managing the shipyards, refused to negotiate and the strike ended after six days.
This image shows members of the National Guard standing next to their trucks outside the National Guard Armory, a building built in 1910 and demolished in the 1960s. The photographer is standing at about Western Avenue at Lenora Street, facing north east.
Handwritten on sleeve: Strike Photo Army Trucks at Armory Webster & Stevens number: 69377
Caption information source: http://depts.washington.edu/labhist/strike/index.shtml
Physical Description: 1 negative : glass, b&w ; 5 x 7 in.
Additional Information: Digital copy of this item available thanks to funding from a 2016 Institute for Museum and Library Services grant. Metadata updated as part of a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the Library Services and Technology Act, through the Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State.
