#MinnesotaLaborHistory #WorkerResistance #AntiFascism #AntiOppression #Teamsters574 #UnionDefenseGuard #SilverShirts #IronRangeStrike #ImmigrantWorkers #WomenInLabor #IWW #Wobblies #PeoplesPilgrimage #UnemployedWorkers #LaborOrganizing #MinnesotaHistory #Solidarity #DirectAction #UnionPower
![How Have Minnesota Workers Historically Resisted Fascism and Oppression?
Minnesota’s labor history includes three notable instances of organized resistance against oppressive forces:
**1. Teamsters Local 574’s Union Defense Guard (1938)**
In response to the pro-Nazi Silver Shirts’ rise in Minneapolis, Teamsters Local 574 formed a multi-union defense group led by Indigenous veteran Ray Rainbolt. The guard used intelligence networks and combat training to disrupt Silver Shirt activities, including foiling a speech by leader William Dudley Pelley, who fled the city after their intervention[1].
**2. Immigrant Women in the 1916 Iron Range Strike**
A spontaneous strike against U.S. Steel’s Oliver Mining Company saw immigrant women play a central role in resistance. Organized by the IWW, women defended parades from armed deputies, physically confronted guards denying water access, and faced media attacks for challenging gender norms. Despite the strike’s failure, their solidarity across ethnic lines highlighted militant opposition to corporate control[1].
**3. The People’s Pilgrimage (1937)**
Unemployed workers, organized as the People’s Lobby, occupied Minnesota’s Capitol overnight to demand unemployment aid from Governor Elmer Benson’s blocked relief package. The peaceful sit-in involved speeches and songs, drawing national attention but failing to pass the legislation amid Republican opposition[1].
These efforts underscore Minnesota’s legacy of cross-community labor organizing against fascist, corporate, and political threats.
Citations:
[1] https://workdaymagazine.org/three-times-workers-resisted-fascism-in-minnesota-history/
[2] https://workdaymagazine.org
#MinnesotaLaborHistory #WorkerResistance #AntiFascism #AntiOppression #Teamsters574 #UnionDefenseGuard #SilverShirts #IronRangeStrike #ImmigrantWorkers #WomenInLabor #IWW #Wobblies #PeoplesPilgrimage #UnemployedWorkers #LaborOrganizing #MinnesotaHistory #Solidarity #DirectAction #UnionPower](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:3epzqefaicyxkh2z3fywbmy5/bafkreickxf5xzii7zs42dlfk6jcrvr47i3n5o6wzbxcsqzt5lj2yfbcauq)
April 9, 2025 at 4:57 PM