HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2019-4606

HR 4606

ByRepresentative Sells

WHEREAS, On February 6, 1919, sixty thousand union workers in Seattle became the first workers in American history to organize a nonviolent general strike; and

WHEREAS, Seattle's Central Labor Council of the American Federation of Labor had called on union workers to strike in support of shipyard workers who sought the right to collective bargaining; and more than one hundred labor unions agreed to participate in the General Strike of 1919; and

WHEREAS, A diverse coalition of union members from all walks of life, including women, African Americans, and the Japanese community all voted in favor of joining the strike in solidarity demonstrating the value of uniting diverse groups across occupational, racial, and political affiliations; and

WHEREAS, The union workers who participated in the Seattle General Strike showed the nation the power of organized labor and worker solidarity; and the Seattle General Strike laid the groundwork for the contemporary labor movement in the United States; and

WHEREAS, The nation's workers represent the backbone of the American economy and have made the United States the most prosperous country in the world; and

WHEREAS, Wednesday, February 6, 2019, marks the one hundredth anniversary of the Seattle General Strike, a time when it was said that "Nothing Moved But the Tide;" and

WHEREAS, Several public events have been organized throughout the Centennial week by a coalition of museums, the Pacific Northwest Labor History Association, the University of Washington Labor Archives, and the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies; and

WHEREAS, The General Strike of 1919 has an enduring legacy that still shapes the labor movement today;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the heritage of the labor movement in our state and the workers who participated in the Seattle General Strike of 1919, and honor the contributions they made to our country and our state.