The city of Lansing is commemorating an important event in labor history this weekend. On June 7th, 1937, businesses and factories in the city were shut down by what has come to be known as the Lansing Labor Holiday.
Labor leaders were seeking the release of workers at Capital City Wrecking who had been arrested for their organizing efforts.
The impact was immediate. Governor Frank Murphy intervened, the holiday ended by nightfall, and Capital City Wrecking negotiated a union contract.
The 80th anniversary will be observed at 1 p.m. Saturday on the plaza in front of city hall with labor songs, speeches, and the unveiling of a new historical marker.
WKAR’s Scott Pohl talks with MSU history professor Lisa Fine and MSU Human Resources and Labor Relations professor John Beck about the Lansing Labor Holiday, which Fine describes as a rarity: a general strike.
