Relatives of Henry Ness, one of two strikers killed in the struggle to organize Minneapolis truckers and warehouse workers in 1934, spoke at a memorial picnic Sunday in Minneapolis. Also pictured is a scene from the Ness funeral procession, which was viewed by tens of thousands of people.
Speakers at the memorial picnic also included Tom Dooher, president of Education Minnesota, Michelle Sommers, president of Transit Workers Local 1005, Bernie Hesse, organizer at UFCW Local 879 and Armando Robles, president of UE Local 1110, leader of the workers\’ occupation of Republic Windows and Doors in Chicago last December.
On Saturday, a street festival was held in the downtown warehouse district where much of the strike activity took place.
The Minneapolis City Council passed a resolution recognizing the 75th anniversary and describing the historical significance of the truckers\’ strike. Read the full text of the resolution.
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The street festival featured a number of musical performances, including the Brass Kings. |
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During the street festival, a wreath was placed near the spot where Ness was shot by a police officer. |
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The picnic featured a tent displaying historic photos and newspapers from the 1934 strike, including front pages from the Minneapolis Labor Review. |
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Members of the Twin Cities Labor Chorus performed at the picnic. |
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Speakers included Education Minnesota President Tom Dooher, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1005 President Michelle Sommers and Armando Robles, president of UE Local 1110. Dooher is the grandson of Patrick Corcoran, a local Teamsters leader who was assassinated in the years after the 1934 strike. Robles and his co-workers successfully occupied the Republic Windows and Doors factory in Chicago in December 2008 to get wages and benefits they were owed. |
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David Sundeen, grandson of 1934 strike leader V.R. Dunne, looked at a historical display with his daughter, V.R. Dunne\’s great-granddaughter. |
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Folksinger Larry Long, left, sang "Solidarity Forever" with the Twin Cities Labor Chorus to close out the program. |
Photos courtesy of Steve Share, Michael Moore and the Minnesota Historical Society.