Soon after Japan surrendered in 1945, workers from petroleum, coal, lumber, truck drivers, and machinists all went on strike. Labor unions in the United States had agreed not to strike while the country was in the midst of WWII.
Coal miners, led by labor giant John L. Lewis, went on strike in May 1946 followed soon by railroad workers.
The railroad strike hit the country hard. Travelers were stranded and the transport of food immediately stopped.
President Truman couldn’t believe the abrupt change in attitude by the members of his country. Less than a year before, the entire nation was working together to win the war and he felt they were being selfish with their demands for higher wages and better working conditions so soon.
The railroad workers rejected the President’s offer of an 18 cent wage increase on the basis that a change in working conditions was also required.
In response, President Truman ordered the US Army to take control of the railroads in order to prevent the country from grinding to a halt. Then, in order to get the railroads running again, he was going to ask Congress for the power to draft the strikers into the Army.
With the threat of the draft fast appraoching, Lewis and the unions accepted the President’s terms at the last minute. President Truman was informed of the acceptance of the settlement during his speech to Congress. “Word has just been received that the rail strike has been settled on terms proposed by the President.”
