1938 New York City truckers strike

1938 New York City truckers' strike
1938 New York City truckers' strike
Date	September 15, 1938 – October 2, 1938
Location	United States
Caused by	Contract expiration
Goals	40 Hr. Week; No reduction in weekly pay;
Resulted in	Union Victory: Reduction to 44-hour week; All previous benefits & protections;
Parties
Teamsters (IBT) Union ; Initial: NYC Teamsters Local 807; Local 282; Local 816; ; ; Later (Sept 26): Teamsters' Joint Council No. 18 of New Jersey Local 560; Local 641; Local 617; Local 136; Local 478; Local 469; ; Motor & Bus Terminal Checker Platform & Office Workers Local 21; Local 512; ; ; Allies: Sailor's Union of the Pacific; International Longshoremen's Association; C.I.O; Atlantic City Trucker Union; Philadelphia Joint Council 53 of the Brotherhood of Teamsters 7 locals; ; Gasoline Station's Attendents' Union Local 20408; ; Newark Teamster Local 863; ; ;	NYC Government: Mayor La Guardia; Acting Mayor; Newbold Morris; NYPD Lewis J. Valentine; Mediators: Anna M. Rosenberg; Arthur S. Meyer; ; Corporate groups: Highway Transport Association; Merchant Truckmen's Bureau; Merchant Associations of NY; Publishers Association Associated Express and Truck Owners of New Jersey;
Number
30,000–35,000 Strikers
	Previous contract: 47 hour week, $56.50 a week

The New York City truckers' strike started on September 15, 1938, as an unsanctioned strike by some of NYC's Teamsters members, with union leadership initially opposing it.^[1] It was caused by a contract expiration, demanding lower hours at the same weekly pay and by its end somewhere between 30,000 and 35,000 strikers were directly involved.^[2]

On September 25, it was officially sanctioned by a union vote at the Mecca Temple by union Locals 807, 282, and 816.^[3] According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it was one of the largest US strikes of 1938.^[2]

The strike ended in October as a partial union victory, they won lower hours at the same weekly pay & benefits, but it was not lowered to the demanded maximum 40-hour week but instead to a maximum 44-hour week limit.^[4]

^ "TRUCKING IS TIED UP BY 'OUTLAW' STRIKE; Insurgent Members of A. F. L. Union Halt Most Interstate Shipments in City Food Shipments Affected Limited to One Local". The New York Times. September 16, 1938. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
^ ^a ^b Peterson, Florence (May 1939). "ANALYSIS OF STRIKES IN 1938" (PDF). Monthly Labor Review. Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor: 4, 5–6, 11.
^ "Drivers accept terms while strike goes on" (PDF). Socialist Appeal. October 1, 1938.
^ Cite error: The named reference :22 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[:0-1] "TRUCKING IS TIED UP BY 'OUTLAW' STRIKE; Insurgent Members of A. F. L. Union Halt Most Interstate Shipments in City Food Shipments Affected Limited to One Local". The New York Times. September 16, 1938. Retrieved June 8, 2023.

[Labor-2] Peterson, Florence (May 1939). "ANALYSIS OF STRIKES IN 1938" (PDF). Monthly Labor Review. Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor: 4, 5–6, 11.

[bulletin-3] "Drivers accept terms while strike goes on" (PDF). Socialist Appeal. October 1, 1938.

[:22-4] Cite error: The named reference :22 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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