My grandfather — who came to America with his family in the 1880’s — was a miner, but had also worked on the railroads. My grandma, who had nine kids, stayed at home taking care of the chickens and fruit trees. All five of my mother’s brothers eventually became miners at one time or another, and many took part in the strikes in southern Illinois at the turn of the century. My mother worked in stores and restaurants back in the 1940s and my father, an immigrant, was an original charter member of Teamsters local 705 back in the 30s when they began in Chicago. The lessons I learned from my grandparents (and parents) taught me to be pro-union!
Carlene Blumenthal is a member of Coalition of Labor Union Women and a retiree member of CTU Local 1
Photo: Coal miners with a mule (via Flickr user Janet Lindenmuth)
