1936 Akron rubber strike

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, factory workers including those who worked for all three major rubber makers in Akron, Ohio faced poor working conditions, low wages, and benefits close none. These conditions resulted in workers establishing the United Rubber Workers in 1935, who organized the fist major strike in the Akron Rubber Industry. The workers resorted to using long picket lines and “sit-down” strike, this prevented the companies from hiring "scab" workers which would interfere with getting their demands met. Factory management was reluctant to use physical force because of the possibility of damage to plant property. The then Akron mayor, Lee D. Schroy, attempted use police force to put and end to the strike, but officers refused to do so when they confronted the thousands of organized workers. The strike was successful in getting Goodyear to negotiate better contracts for the worker with the United Rubber Workers.