The history of the Ludlow Massacre of striking coal miners, which was one of the most brutal attacks on organised labour in North American history. It was the pinnacle of efforts by the National Guard and local strike-breakers under the command of the Rockefeller family to suppress a strike of twelve thousand workers.
Issues concerning labour had dogged the United States
for many years preceding World War I and had resulted in widespread strike
action, especially in the West of the country. Tensions rose to a melting
point when a union activist was killed in late 1913 resulting in workers at
the Rockefeller family owned Colorado Fuel and Iron Corporation’s (CF+I)
going on strike. Miners evacuated the coal camps on September 23rd in protest
against low wages, poor working conditions and continued victimisation of
union activists. This was to mark the beginning of what was to be a harsh
seven months of continued brutality and repression at the hands of their bosses.
Miners of the CF+I were paid $1.68 a day and were forced
to work in extremely harsh conditions, this was particularly true for the
Colorado miners, where fatality rates were often double the national average.
What little wages the miners earned were paid in scrip, which was redeemable
only at the company store where prices were high.
Attempts of unionisation by the Colorado miners dated
back to the first strike of 1883 in which they tried to join the Western Federation
of Miners, in 1913 they were attempting to organise into the United Mine Workers
of America. (They later joined the Industrial Workers of the World in 1927.)
Demands of the UMWA to the CF+I were as follows:
“…Recognition of the United Mineworkers of
America as the bargaining agent for workers in coal mines throughout Colorado
and northern New Mexico, an effective system of checkweighmen in all mines,
compensation for digging coal at a ton-rate based on 2,000 pounds, semi-monthly
payment of wages in lawful money, the abolition of scrip and the truck system,
an end to discrimination against union members, and strict enforcement of
state laws pertaining to operators’ obligations in supplying miners
with timbers, rails, and other materials in underground working places.”
The demands of the union and the continuing strike action
enraged the Rockefeller family, which through mine ownership effectively ruled
the region. They evicted striking workers from their company owned homes leaving
them (along with their families) to face the harsh Colorado winter months
without shelter. Assisted by UMWA groups across the US, the strikers organised
‘tent cities’ close to canyon mouths which lead to coal camps
(in an attempt to block strike-breakers replacing them) and continued their
Through various agencies the company was able to hire men to take a more aggressive
stance against the striking workers, armed guards were supplied to harass
strikers and union organisers. An armoured car with a mounted machine gun
was even built which was appropriately named the ‘Death Special’
by the company guards. As tensions escalated between CF+I and the strikers,
miners dug protective pits beneath their tents to shield themselves and their
families against random sniping and machine gun fire from the company guards.
On October 17th the ‘Death Special’ was used to attack the Forbes
tent colony resulting in the death of one miner. A young girl was shot in
the face and another boy’s legs riddled with machine gun bullets also.
Confrontations between striking miners and scab workers were also resulting
in additional deaths. On October 28th the Governor of Colorado, Elias M Ammons
called out the National Guard to take control of the situation.
The miners however, persevered. Union members and organisers
were kidnapped and beaten, shots being fired into the camps from strike-breakers
and the National Guardsmen were a constant occurrence and the harsh winter
was taking its toll. Worried about the continuing cost of keeping the National
Guard in the field, Governor Ammons accepted an offer from the Rockefeller
family to put their men in National Guard uniforms.
On March 10th the body of a strike-breaker was found near
railroad tracks near the Forbes tents and the National Guard’s General
Chase ordered the colony to be destroyed. The strike was reaching a climax,
and National Guardsmen were ordered to evict the remaining tent colonies around
the mines, despite them being on private property leased by the UMWA.
Ludlow was the largest of the colonies, and on the morning
of April 20th 1914, troops fired into the camp with machine guns, anyone who
was seen moving in the camp was targeted. The miners fired back, and fighting
raged for almost fourteen hours.
Red Cross workers sift through the wreckage of the strikers' camp after the attack
In the afternoon, a passing freight train stopped near the camp and allowed
many miners and their families to escape to east to an area known as the ‘Black
Hills’. After many hours of exchanging fire with the militiamen, the
camps main organiser, Louis Tikas met with Lieutenant Linderfelt (the officer
in charge of the National Guard assault on the Ludlow camp) to arrange a truce.
Linderfelt hit Tikas with the butt of his rifle and soldiers fired several
times into his back as he lay on the ground, killing him outright.
That evening, under cover of darkness, the militiamen
entered the camp and set fire to tents, killing two women and eleven children
who were sheltering from the shooting in a pit below a tent, thirteen other
people were also shot dead during the fighting.
As news of the massacre spread, workers from around the
country went on strike to show solidarity with the remaining miners on strike
in Colorado and to express sympathy for those who had lost loved ones in Ludlow.
Several cities in the state were taken over and occupied by miners and some
National Guard units even laid down their arms and refused to fight.
However, the workers failed to obtain their demands along
with union recognition and many were replaced with non-union workers. No National
Guardsmen was ever prosecuted over the killings, even though sixty-six people
had been killed by the time violence ended.
In 1918 a monument was erected to commemorate those who
died during the strike. These individuals all died in the Ludlow Massacre,
and are inscribed on the monument as follows:
Louis Tikas, age: 30 years
James Fyler, age: 43 years
John Bartolotti, age: 45 years
Charlie Costa, age: 31 years
Fedelina Costas, age: 27 years
Onafrio Costa, age: 4 years
Frank Rubino, age: 23 years
Patria Valdez, age: 37 years
Eulala Valdez, age: 8 years
Mary Valdez, age: 7 years
Elvira Valdez, age: 3 months
Joe Petrucci, age: 4 ½ years
Lucy Petrucci, age: 2 ½ years
Frank Petrucci, age: 4 months
William Snyder Jr, age: 11 years
Rodgerlo Pedregone, age: 6 years
Cloriva Pedregone, age: 4 year
By Sam Lowry, edited by libcom
Mauaji ya Ludlow ya wafanyakazi wa migodi ya makaa ya mawe ya Marekani, ni moja ya mashambulizi ya kikatili zaidi dhidi ya wafanyakazi wa makazi ya watu katika historia ya Marekani. Hatua hiyo ilikuwa ya mwisho ya jitihada za kikosi cha National Guard na wavunja-mgomo wa eneo hilo chini ya amri ya familia ya Rockefeller ili kukandamiza mgomo wa wafanyakazi elfu kumi na mbili. Matatizo ya kazi yalikuwa yamekuwa yakisumbua Marekani kwa miaka mingi kabla ya Vita Kuu ya Kwanza ya Dunia na yalikuwa yamesababisha mgomo mkubwa, hasa katika sehemu ya magharibi ya nchi hiyo. Mvutano uliongezeka wakati mwanaharakati wa chama cha wafanyakazi alipouawa mwishoni mwa mwaka wa 1913, na kusababisha wafanyakazi wa kampuni ya familia ya Rockefeller ya Colorado Fuel and Iron Corporation (CF&I) kuanza mgomo. Wafanyakazi wa migodi ya madini waliondoka kwenye kambi za makaa ya mawe Septemba 23 kwa maandamano dhidi ya mishahara ya chini, hali mbaya za kazi na kuendelea kuteswa kwa wanaharakati wa vyama vya wafanyakazi. Hii ilikuwa ni mwanzo wa miezi saba ya ukatili na ukandamizaji uliokuwa ukiendelea mikononi mwa wakuu wao. Wachimbaji wa CF-1 walipwa $ 1.68 kwa siku na walilazimika kufanya kazi katika hali ngumu sana, hii ilikuwa kweli hasa kwa wachimbaji wa Colorado, ambapo viwango vya vifo mara mbili ya wastani wa kitaifa. Mshahara mdogo ambao wachimbaji walipata ulilipwa kwa pesa, ambazo zingeweza kubadilishwa tu katika duka la kampuni ambapo bei zilikuwa za juu. Mshambuliaji wa kwanza wa madini ya Colorado, ambaye alianzisha Shirikisho la Madini la Magharibi, alianza mgomo wa kwanza mnamo 1883 na kuanzisha Shirikisho la Madini la Magharibi mnamo 1913. (Waliungana na Industrial Workers of the World mwaka wa 1927.) "Makubaliano ya UMWA na CFWM yalikuwa kama ifuatavyo: ""Ukubali wa United Mine Workers of America kama wakala wa mazungumzo kwa ajili ya wafanyakazi katika migodi ya makaa ya mawe katika Colorado na kaskazini mwa New Mexico, mfumo wa ufanisi wa checkweighmen katika migodi yote, fidia kwa ajili ya kuchimba makaa ya mawe kwa kiwango cha tani kulingana na £ 2,000, malipo ya nusu ya kila mwezi ya mshahara katika fedha halali, kuondolewa kwa scrip na mfumo wa lori, mwisho wa ubaguzi dhidi ya wanachama wa chama, na utekelezaji mkali wa sheria za serikali zinazohusiana na wajibu wa wa madini.""" Waliondosha wafanyakazi waliofunga kazi kutoka nyumba zao zilizomilikiwa na kampuni yao na kuwaacha (pamoja na familia zao) kukabili miezi ngumu ya majira ya baridi kali ya Colorado bila makazi. Kwa msaada wa makundi ya UMWA kote Marekani, waandamanaji walipanga'miji ya hema' karibu na vinywa vya canyon ambayo huongoza kwenye kambi za makaa ya mawe (kwa jaribio la kuzuia wavunjaji wa mgomo ambao walichukua nafasi yao) na waliendelea na mashirika yao mbalimbali kupitia kampuni hiyo iliweza kuajiri watu kuchukua msimamo mkali zaidi dhidi ya wafanyakazi wa mgomo, walinzi wenye silaha walipewa kusumbua waandamanaji na waandamanaji. Gari lenye silaha na bunduki iliyowekwa juu yake hata lilijengwa ambalo liliitwa "Death Special" na walinzi wa kampuni hiyo. Wakati mvutano ulipozidi kuongezeka kati ya CF + I na waandamanaji, wachimbaji walichimba mashimo ya kinga chini ya mahema yao ili kujilinda na familia zao dhidi ya risasi za risasi na risasi za mashine kutoka kwa walinzi wa kampuni. Mnamo Oktoba 17, 'Death Special' ilitumiwa kushambulia makazi ya hema ya Forbes na kusababisha kifo cha mchimbaji mmoja. Msichana mmoja mchanga alipigwa risasi usoni na mvulana mwingine alipigwa risasi kwenye miguu yake. Mapigano kati ya wachimba-migodi waliopiga marufuku na wafanyakazi wa makaa ya mawe yalikuwa pia yakisababisha vifo vingine. Mnamo Oktoba 28, Gavana wa Colorado, Elias Ammons, aliomba ulinzi wa kitaifa kuchukua udhibiti wa hali hiyo. Hata hivyo, wachimba-migodi waliendelea. Wanachama wa chama hicho na waandaaji wake walikamatwa na kupigwa, risasi zilipigwa ndani ya kambi kutoka kwa wavunjaji wa mgomo na walinzi wa kitaifa, na majira ya baridi kali yalikuwa yakichukua gharama yake. Kwa kuwa alikuwa na wasiwasi juu ya gharama ya kuendelea ya kuweka Walinzi wa Taifa katika uwanja, Gavana Ammons alikubali toleo kutoka kwa familia ya Rockefeller kuweka wanaume wao katika sare za Walinzi wa Taifa. Maiti ya mshambuliaji mmoja ilipatikana karibu na reli karibu na mahema ya Forbes, na Jenerali Chase wa Jeshi la Kitaifa aliamuru koloni hiyo iharibiwe. Mgomo huo ulikuwa ukifikia kilele, na Walinzi wa Taifa waliamriwa kuondoa makazi ya hema yaliyobaki karibu na migodi, licha ya kuwa kwenye mali ya kibinafsi iliyokodishwa na UMWA. Ludlow ilikuwa koloni kubwa zaidi, na asubuhi ya Aprili 20, 1914, askari walifyatua risasi kwenye kambi hiyo kwa bunduki za mashine, na yeyote aliyeonekana akihama katika kambi hiyo alishambuliwa. Wachimba-migodi walifyatua risasi, na mapigano yakaendelea kwa karibu saa kumi na nne. Wafanyakazi wa Msalaba Mwekundu wakichunguza mabaki ya kambi ya waandamanaji baada ya shambulio hilo, baada ya treni ya mizigo iliyokuwa ikipita ikasimama karibu na kambi hiyo na kuwawezesha wachimbaji wengi na familia zao kutoroka kuelekea mashariki katika eneo linalojulikana kama Black Hills. Baada ya saa nyingi za mapigano na wanamgambo, Louis Tikas, aliyekuwa mratibu mkuu wa kambi hiyo, alikutana na Luteni Linderfelt (ofisa aliyesimamia shambulio la Walinzi wa Taifa kwenye kambi ya Ludlow) ili kupanga makubaliano ya amani. Linderfelt alimshambulia Tikas kwa bunduki yake na askari walifyatua risasi mara kadhaa mgongoni mwake alipokuwa amelala chini, wakimuua mara moja. Jioni hiyo, chini ya ulinzi wa giza, wanamgambo waliingia kambini na kuwasha moto mahema, wakiua wanawake wawili na watoto kumi na mmoja waliokuwa wakijikinga na risasi katika shimo chini ya hema, watu wengine kumi na watatu pia waliuawa kwa risasi wakati wa mapigano. Baada ya habari za mauaji hayo kuenea, wafanyakazi kutoka kote nchini walianza mgomo ili kuonyesha mshikamano na wachimbaji wa madini waliobaki katika mgomo huko Colorado na kuelezea huruma kwa wale ambao walikuwa wamepoteza wapendwa wao huko Ludlow. Majiji kadhaa katika jimbo hilo yalichukuliwa na kuwekwa chini ya madini na baadhi ya vikosi vya Walinzi wa Taifa hata viliweka silaha zao na kukataa kupigana. Hata hivyo, wafanyakazi walishindwa kupata madai yao pamoja na utambuzi wa chama cha wafanyakazi na wengi walibadilishwa na wafanyakazi wasio wa chama cha wafanyakazi. Hakuna askari wa ulinzi wa kitaifa aliyewahi kushtakiwa kwa mauaji hayo, ingawa watu sitini na sita walikuwa wameuawa wakati vurugu zilipokwisha. Mnamo mwaka wa 1918, mnara wa ukumbusho ulijengwa ili kuwakumbuka wale waliokufa wakati wa mgomo huo. "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika makala ya kwanza ya makala hii, ""Mwanamke wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa wa kwanza wa kwanza wa kwanza wa wa kwanza wa kwanza wa wa kwanza wa wa kwanza wa kwanza wa wa kwanza."