Embedded Files
Cycles of Exploitation and Protest
For more than a century, Duke students have advocated equitable workplaces, higher pay, and safe working conditions for themselves and others. Often siding with the underdogs, they join and amplify voices of those struggling to be heard through cycles of exploitation, protest, and conflict resolution. From student support of the 1909 railroad strike that resulted in equal pay for Black and White fire stokers to the 2024 demonstration that demanded tax-exempt Duke contribute city funds to support local workers, the cycle continues.
1929: Loray Mill Strike
1929: Loray Mill Strike
Mill workers in Gastonia, North Carolina went on strike to protest the poor working conditions imposed on them at their workplace, Loray Mill. The strike included 1,800 employees who demanded a livable minimum wage, acknowledgement of their union, and a 40 hour work week. The strike was unsuccessful and the strikers were dismissed as radicals and agitators. Strikes such as these show how, historically, those advocating for workers' rights have been mistrusted or deemed as violent. It was not until after the Great Depression that workers' rights were adequately addressed through legal action. The event at the mill laid the foundation for idea on workers rights to spread throughout North Carolina and eventually to the student body of Duke University.
1935: Wagner Act
1935: Wagner Act
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Wagner Act on July 5th, 1925 which sought to address unfair labor practices. It protected workers' rights to organize, form unions, and engage in collective bargaining. Additionally, the act led to the establishment of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) which was responsible for enforcing labor laws, investigating unfair labor practices, and conducting elections for union representation. Overall, the Wagner Act was a promising step in the fight for workers' rights.
1946: Ted Minah Champions Increased Wages and Dining Improvements
1946: Ted Minah Champions Increased Wages and Dining Improvements
Duke administration hired Ted Minah (left) as the director of Duke's dining halls. Across campus, employees were experiencing wartime challenges. Minah, in response, increased wages of non-student employees and implemented an on-the-job training initiative. He worked closely with Bill Jones "Big Bill," who was the university's first Black supervisor. Together, they worked to modernize and improve dining services.
1966: Duke Hires Samuel DuBois Cook
1966: Duke Hires Samuel DuBois Cook
Duke workers nearly doubled in size between the 1950s to 1960s. By 1958, Duke employed 166 typists and stenographers. Importantly, Duke hired Samuel DuBois Cook, the first African American to hold a regular tenured faculty position at a predominately white southern college or university. Despite this progress, there still remained wage disparities between academic and non-academic employees at Duke, which would continue for several years.
Duke workers nearly doubled in size between the 1950s to 1960s. By 1958, Duke employed 166 typists and stenographers. Importantly, Duke hired Samuel DuBois Cook, the first African American to hold a regular tenured faculty position at a predominately white southern college or university. Despite this progress, there still remained wage disparities between academic and non-academic employees at Duke, which would continue for several years.
1968: Dining Hall Workers' Picket
1968: Dining Hall Workers' Picket
The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King sparked support for food service, housekeeping, and other non-academic employees. Local 77, a union for service employees was launched during this time. Protesters demanded an increased minimum wage of $1.60 per hour, a committee for collective bargaining, and greater support for custodial staff.
1968: Duke Workers Declare "War on Poverty"
1968: Duke Workers Declare "War on Poverty"
The Duke Workers Join Wage Committee took a firm stance against unfair, low wages and poverty. The committee posted this flyer closely after the assassination of MLK and Silent Vigil protests on Duke's campus. The demand to increase wages honored the legacy of MLK, who fought for equality and justice for Black Americans.
1982: Medical Center Employees Unionize
1982: Medical Center Employees Unionize
Duke Medical Center employees unionized and created an impactful committee to persuade higher-ups at Duke to minimize the amount of layoffs. Following their petitions and protests, only 7 workers were laid off instead of the proposed 500. The victories of Duke Hospital Workers were published in The Worker's Chronicle, a publication centered around Duke employees. This event proved that Duke medical center employees had a voice that could influence policy and action.
1999: United Farm Workers Protest
1999: United Farm Workers Protest
Joan Papert Preiss chaired the Triangle Friends of the United Farm Workers where she advocated for the rights of farmers. In 1999, she led the Mt. Olive Pickle Company boycott in Durham which went on for five years. The boycotts argued for Harris Teeter, Food Lion and Krogers to stop selling Mt. Olive. This effort went beyond Duke as Duke students sought to hold businesses based in North Carolina accountable for their labor practices. Students were concerned with the treatment of farm workers, particularly their right to unionize and collectively bargain. As a result of these efforts, Duke agreed to work to improve the lives of farm workers but refused to officially honor a Mt. Olive Pickle Company boycott.
2000 Duke Pulls Contracts with 28 Companies
2000 Duke Pulls Contracts with 28 Companies
Like many universities across the United States at the time, Duke students protested the use of sweatshop labor. This labor was marked by unlivable, low wages and awful working conditions for employees. Students protested on West Campus, addressing President Keohane directly. Duke’s Students Against Sweatshops campaign saw success in March 2000 following a staged sit-in of the administration building. The University’s transparency promise was the culmination of protests, demonstrations, and demands. Duke stood with students in a fight against unfair and abusive labor conditions.
2016: Allen Building Occupation
2016: Allen Building Occupation
Duke students invited the Durham community to support workers' rights and racial justice at Duke. The occupation of the Allen building lasted seven days with students sitting in to protest injustice. The protest was provoked by continued institutional racism and low wages for Duke's service employees, who were predominately black and brown. Following the sit-in, Executive Vice President Tallman Trask III issued a public apology regarding a conflict with a black female employee, and the university agreed to start the process of raising the minimum wage.
2024: May Day
2024: May Day
The fight for workers' rights is not over with groups in North Carolina and Durham still fighting for goals with similar themes to those in 1968. The 2024 May Day protest in Durham, NC advocated for the desires of the working class such as higher wages and affordable housing, represented in this flyer. These rallies were crucial in building support systems for workers so their demands would be heard and energized.
Chelsea, Mary, Kuzi, Zach, and Ava researched workers' rights at Duke and created this portion of the online and in-person gallery exhibit.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse