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Archiver > PAALLEGH > 1998-05 > 0895712819


From: Al Lenkner <>
Subject: Re: [PAALLEGH-L] Teamsters
Date: Wed, 20 May 1998 21:06:59 -0400


Kelly and Debbie,

In 1870 there were no unions as we know them today and a 'teamster' was
a person who drove a team of horses that pulled a wagon of commercial
goods, generally from one town to another. The Teamsters Union as we
know it today probably became the umbrella organization of different
occupations after WWII, often extended the benefits of unionism to
workers in small industries whose numbers couldn't generate the clout of
the larger organization.

Andrew Carnegie's hatchman, Henry Clay Frick, killed the union movement
in 1892 when he hired Pinkerton detectives to do battle with the
striking steelworkers in Homestead, PA. The Pinkertons lost the battle
but Frick won the war, effectively killing the union movement for
several decades.

Al Lenkner

wrote:

> The Teamsters is a Union for workers. There are different ones
> like IBEW union (Electricians), etc. I think now, don't know
> about back then that some Teamster members are food workers.
> My mother used to work in the highschool cafeteria. The cafeteria
> workers had to become members of the Teamsters union.
>
> 'Kelly and Debbie' <> Wrote on
> Wed, 20 May 1998 16:18:26 -0700
> ------------------
> Hello all -
>
> I was never very good in history. As a matter of fact in school
> I pretty
> much hated it. Now I which I would have listened a little more!
> On the
> 1870 census three of my family members were listed as Teamsters.
> What
> exactly is that?
>
> Debbie
>
>
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