Illinois was critical to workers’ finding their democratic voice through labor organization. From Chicago’s Haymarket Square to southern Illinois coal mines, workers struggled to build unions, create safe work environments, and find a community voice through their united efforts. In building these organizations workers often faced state repression and learned how to organize across ethnic, racial and gender lines. Workers like the Ottawa IL Radium Girls fearlessly stood up after their occupational exposure doomed them, helping create legislation to protect all workers. Women workers found their own voice and often built alliances with middle class women to ensure their rights. The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters faced discriminatory unions and built their own organization over a 12-year struggle to ensure representation.
Democracy is not just elections; it is “small d” democracy, too—workers finding their voice through organization and becoming critical community participants and workplace advocates.
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Mike Matejka is an author, historian, community activist and retired union representative. He served as the Governmental Affairs Director for the Great Plains Laborers District Council, edited the Grand Prairie Union News for 40 years and was also elected for 18 years to the Bloomington City Council. As an Illinois Labor History Society vice-president, he is knowledgeable on Illinois’ nationally significant labor history. He is a past-president and current board member of the McLean County Museum of History in Bloomington, where he was guest curator for five different exhibits, including two on railroad topics.
Matejka has written for multiple publications and is currently completing an overview book on Illinois labor history.
