A terrible anger

In the endless struggle of American workers for recognition and respect in modern industrial society, the Pacific Coast maritime strike and the San Francisco General Strikes in 1934 stand as crucial and symbolic events. The strikes released the long-simmering rage against anti-unionism that had until then shielded the nation's great industries from workers' demands. In A Terrible Anger, David F. Selvin presents a narrative history of the strikes. Unlike other labor historians who have stressed the importance of radical groups involved in the strikes, he addresses the impact on unions, owners, government, and the daily press. A witness to the strikes, Selvin has written a compelling story of the traumas and triumphs which acted as catalysts for the tumultuous labor battles of the mid-1930s. These conflicts injected union organizations and collective bargaining into the nation's labor relations, dramatically changing workers' rights on the job. Relying on primary sources and critical commentary, as well as personal recollection, Selvin reconstructs the tactics, strategies, policies, and programs that gave the strikes their real and enduring significance. In doing so, he brings to life an important chapter in U.S. labor history.