The Tragedy of Two Strikes

The Metropolitan Opera is about to begin a lock-out of its workers because the unions are resisting a major pay and benefits cut being ordered by the opera’s general director, Peter Gelb. Confrontations between labor and management are nothing new - even in opera. But as our nation's single largest cultural organization counts down to go to the mattresses, it's worth looking back at other notable labor battles. What's changed? What hasn't changed? Have we learned anything?

120 years ago this summer, Chicago's Pullman Palace Car Company workers walked off the job after their wages were lowered. Admittedly, the union employees of The Met are a far cry from the poorly paid laborers of the Pullman Company. But there are other similarities between the two labor disputes that demonstrate the tragically imbalanced power relationship between one man, on one side, and many workers, on the other side.

For my breakdown and comparison of the two labor disputes, please click here.

*Please note: all opinions expressed in this post the accompanying chart are entirely my own. And some of this is most certainly opinion. But, I stand behind my opinions. Should you care to argue a specific point, please email me at cowanmimi@gmaill.com.

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