Mother Jones

So I learned this up close and personal, very painfully and personal, personally, that without our unions, there is no check and balance on capitalism, and it will run amok.

It's exactly what Mother Jones told us 100 years ago when she was crisscrossing the country organizing for the United Mine Workers, but also organizing against child labor.

And she said, "The capitalists say there is no need of labor organizing except the fact that they themselves are continually organizing shows us their real beliefs."

Yeah.

They were in a big scrum, in a group hug saying, "I'm gonna come out for your fight, and I'm gonna come out for your fight.

And I had no idea you were fighting for a union.

I had no idea you were fighting for a contract." And, and they, and they also saw that the fights that they were having, even if they're called something different in their workplaces, were actually, as Mother Jones told us, the same fight because the capitalists say there's no need of labor organizing, except the fact that they are organizing shows us their real beliefs.

And so it is typically the same fights that we have everywhere.

But as kind of time goes on, we see more and more women getting not just being part of unions, but also getting kind of leadership.

So the most famous one of those would be Mother Jones, but Elizabeth Flynn Rogers, who was in the Knights of Labour, and she was left widowed with multiple children and realised she needed to do something and became a very prominent person in the Knights of Labour.

In 1900, for example, there is a, when the Libby McNeill and Libby packing house goes on strike, there is a Mordgawn branch of trade union set up by women and largely Irish women.

And there's kind of stories that go on, especially in the early 1900s, but late 19th century into 1900s, of how a lot of kind of female union branches, if they were making banners and things like that, they would be singing Irish songs because Irish women were so kind of visible in this.

And, you know, to show people that even in the face of disaster, we can still use strategies of joy to stick together and, and keep each other as safe as possible.

I mean, we don't always succeed, but, you know, we keep trying, right? It's like Mother Jones said, "I'd rather, you know, die standing than be on my knees."

Beth, what's your next project?

Well, I do wanna do another film because these films are the three, you know, they're the three elements: the earth, water, and fire.

On this day in labor history, the year was 1912.

That was the day that labor activist Mother Jones led a march of miners' children through the streets of Charleston, West Virginia.

Her aim was to illustrate the effects of poverty.

In the speech she gave that day, Mother Jones declared, Tyranny, robbery, and oppression of the people must go.

The children must be educated.

Her march took place during the 1912-1913 Paint Creek-Cabin Creek coal miner strike in that state.

During the strike, gunfire was exchanged between members of the United Mine Workers and the mine owners hired private army.

The governor declared martial law on three separate occasions.

Advance registration is required and can be made at dyersville.lib.ia.us or by calling 563- 875-8912.

And 7 p.m. today, Dubuque, Portrayal of Mother Jones at Loras College's St. Joseph Auditorium in Hoffman Hall.

Professional actress Deborah Ann Miller will portray Mother Jones, once called the most dangerous woman in America.

Jones was a fiery orator and fearless organizer for the mine workers during the first two decades of the 20th century.

She helped coordinate major strikes and secure bans on child labor, and she co-founded the Trade Union Industrial Workers of the World.

We're talking about a 114-year-old war that happened in West Virginia.

What does that have to do with Elon Musk, Mother Jones? What does that have to do with company towns, cryptocurrency, and maybe even more? Also, new merch right here on Too Many Tabs.

Remember to smile.

Welcome to Too Many Tabs, a podcast where a husband and wife duo sit next to each other at a table.

in revenge, the enraged strikers attacked the mine guard's camp two days later.

Good.

Okay? Now, to assist the strikers, the United Mine Workers sent renowned organizer Mary Mother Jones-

Mm

In one house, a striker named Cesco Estep dies where he was resting after more than a hundred rounds passed through the place he thought was neutral ground and shelter.

Days later, Mother Jones, little Mother Jones, stands up on a crate in front of a crowd of the miners.

Seventy years old this woman is, her voice carrying over the camp.

She tells them the time for asking is over, and nobody argues.