6 historic public-worker strikes
The Chicago Teachers Union's strike has become a political headache for Mayor Rahm Emanuel, but these educators are far from the first public employees to walk out in protest. Here are six other memorable strikes by public employees.
1919 Boston police union strike
In September 1919, police officers in Boston went on strike, and then-Massachusetts Gov. Calvin Coolidge won a power struggle with the city’s mayor and was able to fire the officers. Coolidge’s telegraph response to AFL-CIO head Samuel Gompers — “There is no right to strike against the public safety” — catapulted him to national attention and the vice presidency a year later.(Photo: AP Photo | Date: Sep. 1, 1919)