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1936 Seattle Post Intelligencer Strike In 1936, 35 members of the editorial staff from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer decided to walk off their jobs after management decided to fire two old-time employees for being members of the American Newspaper Guild. Also, these members of the editorial staff were fighting for recognition to form a union as well as protesting against the P-I’s administration. Seattle Post-Intelligencer owner, William Randolph Hearst who is known to be in opposition to unionism, was forced to suspend print of the newspaper due the lack of staff and disapproval of assistance from other supporting unions in the news-printing field. During this time that the print was suspended the strikers started their own newspaper called, The Guild Daily. After three and a half months, Hearst negotiated a contract in the strikers favor. This strike has made labor history in several important respects ^[1]

Background

In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Congress created The National Industrial Recovery Act, which was a program from the New Deal. This program permitted workers the rights to join unions, thus, many unions were created or reestablished. The American Newspaper Guild Union was established in 1933 for improving working conditions, wages and journalism ethics. * [1]When word spread that dramatic editor Everhardt Armstrong and head photographer Frank Lynch were fired due to the suspicion of their relations to the American Newspaper Guild Union, 35 of their coworkers walked out of the newsroom. The 35 journalist employees, who walked out in disapproval against the firing of two active members of the P-I’s unit of the Guild, were also fighting for recognition of their lawful right to form a union. ^[2] Other issues that surfaced were that the journalists were upset with the actions made by the management in which they let go of workers with credentials in order to hire inexperienced ones for lower wages. ^[3] Another issue was that they were in protest of William Randolph Hearst overall “unfair” practices in journalism values and his scandalous opposition towards the Guild Union. The P-I strike transpired from August 13- November 29 in 1936. During this time the strikers started printing their own newspaper, Guild Daily, which was significantly successful.

William Randolph Hearst 

Hearst is one of the nation’s richest and most powerful publishers and it is perhaps to this that he was comfortable in notoriously speaking his mind. He is also famous for extolling Fascism by criticizing peace movements and the new economic policies. Some issues he is also known for are salary cuts in his editorial staff in order to pay dividends on his’ companies’ stock ^[4] and raising his own income while his employees kept their low wages. With the establishment of the New Deal after the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Hearst said that the Roosevelt Administration was “more communistic than the Communists” due to Hearst’s bitter opposition of the labor movement and freedom of unionism. ^[5] During the time of the strike, Hearst used his connections with other newspapers and radio stations, and financed millions of dollars to ensure the public was confused regarding facts of the strike and he even went as far as dubbing the protestors and anyone else involved as ‘Communists’. ^[6] His management also played a role in damaging the image of the Guild strikers by calling them a “howling mob” and citing them with exaggerated acts of violence, yet it was later attested that Hearst’s management was actually the ones who provoked them first. ^[7] For Hearst, journalists were white-collar workers so he questioned their desire to be in a union.

Events of the Strike

“Hearst Is Unfair to Labor”

On July 6, 1936, Frank Lynch was fired for being “inefficient” after a less experienced photographer replaced him in June, along with his $5 raise taken away that month. Armstrong was dismissed by management on July 13 due to “insubordination” and was not given the customary dismissal pay even if he had been a part of the editorial staff for 17 years. ^[8] These two employees were the two oldest and highest paid in the Post-Intelligencer with nothing in their past record against them. Also, their work as a photographer and drama critic were undeniably admired not only in Seattle but also in the whole Northwest. The firing of the two long time employees were used as examples to warn other news writers in the P-I and some were even given individual “yellow dog contracts” ^[9] for them not to join the Guild. On July 17, the Guild gained support from the Washington State Federation of Labor, completed formal affiliation with the American Federation of Labor and took their case officially to the Seattle Central Labor Council to cite the P-I management to be on the “unfair” list. ^[10] At 7am on August 13, 1936, a strike was called after the Central Labor Council successfully agreed to classify the P-I in the unfair list the night before.

Solidarity & Some Violence on the Side

Within the initial hours of the strike, the twenty or so picketers were somewhat perplexed when the newspaper plant and the loyal employees seemed to be just going about their normal routines. Since nothing was published in the P-I or any of the papers the night before or day of regarding a strike or any disagreements to lead to such an event, passerby and the locals were confused yet admired the small spirited group. ^[11] Within a couple hours of the picketing, the courageous small group grew to several hundred when other unions in Seattle joined them. Long shore workers, lumber workers, metal workers, and the Teamsters all joined the picket lines outside the P-I newspaper plant. Dave Beck, the head of the Teamsters, is acknowledged as a powerful labor-conscious leader who had successfully organized many of the past strikes in other industries around the area towards labor union achievement. As the largest and still growing union at the time, the Teamsters have been successful in using their numbers to pressure and negotiate in strikes from the past decades, and this will again prove to be “the key to complete union organization of the newspapers. ^[12] Unfortunately, violence erupted when the Teamsters attacked one of the P-I guards. Harold Hiatt, the guard and a professional strikebreaker, was involved in murder of Teamster William Usatalo during the Northwest Brewing Co. strike in Tacoma a year ago, and the Teamsters wanted to get their revenge. ^[13] After Hiatt stepped out to confront the demonstrators, police rushed to the scene since they excessively beat him nearly to death. Several other employees who were trying to leave the plant at the end of the workday were attacked and beaten by groups of the picket line from other unions. Although violence sparked on the sidelines, the Guild striker’s confidence grew as other Seattle labor unions merged in to join the picket line. This made it so the paper’s printers could not cross their picket line, thus for the first time in history the P-I did not publish. ^[14]

The Guild Daily

On August 14, after the first day of the strike, the protestors hurriedly printed the Guild Striker in the Guild headquarters, the Red Mill Tavern, to eagerly inform readers of the events leading to the strike to assure and encourage both the Guildsmen and their readers. The Post-Intelligencer did not print for three and a half months since those who were part of a union in The Seattle Times prevented the P-I from getting published through their system. This was the first time in the P-I’s history had they to cease printing. The Guild Daily became successful with the help of local residents who supported their strike. This now became the new Seattle morning paper, which supplied important global and local news that filled the front page ^[15] It also included a sports section, opinion articles and a clear representation of the Guild’s side of the controversy with Hearst ^[16] within four page spreads. It made favorable impressions on the local Seattlites as well as providing therapy for the uncertain strikers during the fifteen weeks. ^[17] Support for the Guild strikers had increased to the point that a P-I publisher did not show in court to defend the P-I from being on the unfair list and printers from printing trades offered time on The Guild Daily. ^[18] On August 25, there was a very successful rally by the Guild in which some prominent public officials, especially Mayor John F. Dore, revealed their support in replacing Hearst’s P-I.

Hearst and The Leagues

The Law and Order League, led by Kirk Hillman, believed that the future of the country was threated with the united growing force of the labor force. This organization against unions quickly grew fast. By September, meetings were attracting almost a thousand people and the organization was said to have added 500 new members a day. ^[19] The League of Seattle Housewives or the pro-America women arose in mid-October to protest for the reopening of the P-I and dispute against what the Guild and Teamsters brought upon Seattle. On October 13, Mrs. Edwin Selvin, an active member of the Law and Order League and now the leader of the Women of Washington, and about 500 women protested the same ideas in Olympia as well as demanding, “the governor rid the state of the Beck influence”. ^[20] The biggest rally Mrs. Selvin and the Women of Washington had attracted about 5,000 women in Seattle but other than that their strikes came to an unsuccessful end in November. Due to the immense support that the Guild strikers had, these leagues barely alarmed them.

Aftermath

Victory for the Guild

The Newspaper Guild received formal recognition by a Hearst newspaper on November 25, 1936, along with the signature of Guild chairman, Richard Seller. The settlement agreement stated items such as: striking employees returning to work without discrimination, prejudice and without reduction of salaries; sick leaves with full pay; two- week vacations for employees of more than a year; severance pay; wage scales according to experience and most importantly that management have no discrimination towards employees who were members of the Guild. ^[21] On the afternoon if November 29, 1936, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer was hot off the press again. The front page included a message signed by Hearst, which started with “The Seattle Post-Intelligencer resumes publication this morning after its first period of silence since 1969.” ^[22] William Randolph Hearst resigned his position as “Chief” to his daughter and son-in-law.

Historical Significance

This event stands out especially for being one of the first significant white-collar strikes in the United States. It was the first time in history that a newspaper had to cease publishing for a long period of time. The strike had a unified labor movement from the surrounding unions in the area. The strikers confidence and strong will to fight for their rights gained the support of the public and other unions, which aided them financially and emotionally. This projected and reinforced Seattle’s reputation as a pro-labor city.

Notes

^ Rohlfs 1936, p. 17.
^ Rohlfs 1936, p. 3.
^ Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 1.
^ Rohlfs 1936, p. 11.
^ Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 16.
^ Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 26.
^ Rohlfs 1936, p. 5.
^ Rohlfs 1936, p. 15.
^ Rohlfs 1936, p. 16.
^ Rohlfs 1936, p. 17.
^ Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 60.
^ Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 70.
^ Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 62.
^ Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 65 .
^ Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 76.
^ Rohlfs 1936, p. 6.
^ Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 77.
^ Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 83.
^ Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 85.
^ Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 87.
^ Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 129.
^ Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 130.

References

Rohlfs, Marcus S. The Truth About the Post-Intelligencer Strike: The Story of William Randolph Hearst's Effort to Crush the American Newspaper Guild in Seattle by Dismissals and Economic Terrorism. Seattle: Citizens Committee, 1936. Print.

Ames, William E, and Roger A. Simpson. Unionism or Hearst: The Seattle Post-Intelligencer Strike of 1936. Seattle: Pacific Northwest Labor History Association, 1978. Print.

External links

[2]

[1] Rohlfs 1936, p. 17.

[2] Rohlfs 1936, p. 3.

[3] Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 1.

[4] Rohlfs 1936, p. 11.

[5] Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 16.

[6] Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 26.

[7] Rohlfs 1936, p. 5.

[8] Rohlfs 1936, p. 15.

[9] Rohlfs 1936, p. 16.

[10] Rohlfs 1936, p. 17.

[11] Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 60.

[12] Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 70.

[13] Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 62.

[14] Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 65 .

[15] Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 76.

[16] Rohlfs 1936, p. 6.

[17] Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 77.

[18] Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 83.

[19] Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 85.

[20] Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 87.

[21] Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 129.

[22] Ames and Simpson 1978, p. 130.

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