The Great Textile Strike of 1934
Chaos Erupts in Woonsocket
On September 1, 1934, a national strike of textile workers was called by the United Textile Workers. More than 500,000 workers nationwide left their jobs to demand better wages, shorter hours, and union recognition. The Independent Textile Union (ITU), which was founded in Woonsocket by local Belgian trade unionists, joined the national strike in support of the UTW’s actions. Over 1,500 members of Woonsocket’s mill workforce belonged to the ITU.
By September 11th, only one mill, the Woonsocket Rayon Company on Clinton Street, was in operation to finish processing a batch of chemicals into rayon filaments. This was done in agreement with the mill’s workers. In response to the ITU’s demand to close, management vowed to stay open. A crowd of about 2,000 attempted to shut down the Rayon Company by smashing windows and peppering the plant with rocks.
On the next night, a mob estimated at 10,000 ran wild in the Social Street area. They hurled rocks at police, street and store lights were smashed, plunging Social into total darkness. Widespread smashing of store windows and looting began. Parked cars were overturned, and a few even dumped into Social Pond. National Guardsmen were dispatched to the area and joined the police to restore order. The city was put under military rule to restore order. Governor Theodore Francis Green, fearing a wider insurrection, declared martial law and ordered police to arrest suspected agitators. After failed attempts by authorities to disperse the crowd, the National Guard opened fire, killing Jude Courtemanche, age nineteen. Another fatality was Leon Rouette, 18, who died of gunshot wounds ten days later.
The national textile strike was ended through the efforts of a Presidential mediation board.
