Today in Labor History May 15, 1921: Pat Sullivan released the radical animated Felix the Cat cartoon, "Felix Revolts," in which Felix leads the cats in a General Strike against the humans, letting the rats run wild. #workingclass #LaborHistory #patsullivan #FelixTheCat #strike #generalstrike #animation #cats #revolt #annimation #cartoon

Today in Labor History May 14, 1771: Utopian-socialist Robert Owen was born on this day in Wales. In the early 1800s, he made a fortune in textiles. However, he tried to run his mills on higher principles than greed. One of his reforms was to offer prices at his company store that were only slightly higher than their wholesale cost. This was in marked contrast to his competitors, who paid their workers only in scrip and charged exorbitant prices at their company stores. In 1810, Owen implemented the eight-hour workday for his employees. And in 1817, he came up with the slogan, “Eight hours labor, eight hours recreation, eight hours rest.” He also provided free schools for the children of factory workers. In 1824, he travelled to America and invested his fortune in an experimental socialistic commune at New Harmony, Indiana. It only survived for two years. However, it changed many aspects of American culture. Residents created the first public library and public school system open to both boys and girls. The town also became an important center of scientific research in the mid-1800s. #workingclass #LaborHistory #socialism #utopia #EightHourDay #library #robertowen

"You Will Kill Me!" Shouted a protester in a wheel chair, as they were arrested today in Washington, DC. They were 1 of 25 people arrested for disrupting a hearing on GOP Medicaid cuts that are projected to render 8.6 million Americans uninsured. But the cuts will make it easier for Republicans to give themselves and their wealthy cronies big tax breaks.

25 Arrested While Protesting GOP Medicaid Cuts – Mother Jones

#MAGA #medicaid #publichealth #ableism #classwar

While you were busy worrying about non-existent sexual assaults in bathrooms by trans women, there's now at least one documented sexual assault by a cis man posing as an ICE agent.

WJLA

Man accused of posing as ICE agent, sexually assaulting woman at motel: report

Carl Bennett Jr., 37, was arrested in Raleigh on Sunday.

#ice #immigration #sexualassault #transrightsarehumanrights #transphobia #trump #fascism

If a company boasts of record profits, shouldn't they be compelled to pay out record raises, too? Of course, even better still, would be a world without bosses, without the rich, without wages at all.

Today in Labor History May 12, 1916: The authorities executed James Connolly on this date for his role in the Easter Rising, which took place in Dublin, the month prior. The uprising sought to end British rule and create an independent Ireland. 485 people died in the fighting, including 143 British soldiers and cops. The rest were mostly Irish civilians. The British took 3,500 prisoners and sent 1,800 to internment camps. They also executed sixteen of the rebel leaders, sparking outrage among the Irish public. Connolly was an Irish republican, socialist and union leader. Prior to the Easter Rising, he lived in Scotland and participated in Scottish socialist organizations. After that, he emigrated to the U.S., where he cofounded the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), along with Lucy Parsons, Mother Jones, Eugene Debs and Big Bill Haywood. He also founded the Irish Socialist Federation in New York. In Ireland, and was a leader of the Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union. He also participated in the Dublin lock-out, one of the largest and most severe labor disputes in Irish history. #workingclass #LaborHistory #jamesconnolly #IWW #dublin #easterrising #union #strike #ireland #independence #socialism #colonialism

Today in Writing History May 10, 1999: Shel Silverstein, American poet, cartoonist, singer-songwriter, musician, and playwright died on this day. His books have been translated into more than 47 languages and sold over 20 million copies Some of his most famous children’s books include “The Giving Tree,” “Where the Sidewalk Ends,” and “A Light in the Attic.” As a songwriter, he wrote the Johnny Cash hits "A Boy Named Sue" and “25 Minutes to Go,” as well as the Dr. Hook hit, “Freakin’ at the Freakers Ball.” He also composed hits for John Prine, Buck Owens, Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, and Lester Flatt. #workingclass #LaborHistory #shelsilverstein #writing #fiction #poetry #playwright #books #author #writer #cartoon #childrensbooks #songwriter #johnnycash @npub1wceq...lzu8