The history of the AFL-CIO in 40 million documents contained in 20,000 boxes that take up six miles of shelf space have a new home today, with the donation and transfer of the George Meany Memorial Archives from the National Labor College to the University of Maryland Libraries.

The University of Maryland (UMD), National Labor College and the AFL-CIO will announce tomorrow a landmark gift to the UMD Libraries collection. This gift will be the largest of its kind to the university. 

One hundred years ago on Sunday, southern Colorado miners and their families walked out of the coal mines and mining camps striking for adequate wages, enforcement of state mining laws and union recognition. The strike led to a months-long struggle that culminated in one of the most tragic events in U.S. labor history, the April 20, 1914, Ludlow Massacre.

Yesterday, at the Ludlow Massacre memorial site near Trinidad, several hundred survivors’ descendants, Mine Workers (UMWA) members and officials, historians and others kicked off the centennial commemoration of the strike and massacre. 

Buzz is building around a new documentary film series, "Strength in Union," which is currently being filmed. Covering the history of the labor movement and highlighting the stories of workers, the series also will feature interviews from historians and labor leaders, including Leo W. Gerard, international president of the United Steelworkers (USW); Cliff Guffey, president of the Postal Workers (APWU); Lawrence J. Hanley, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU); and Captain Lee Moak, president of the Air Line Pilots (ALPA).

The NH Labor News reports it is likely the series will air on PBS, as well as in select theaters and film festivals.  

The U.S. Postal Service just released a series of “Made in America: Building a Nation” first-class Forever stamps. The 12-stamp series features images of industrial workers from the early 20th century, and 11 were taken by famed photographer Lewis Hine.   

While no one can argue with USPS’s decision to honor the coal miners, construction workers, textile workers and others who helped build the nation (and continue to do so), the gesture would mean a lot more if the USPS treated its current workers with the same respect.

Progressive radio host Rick Smith, a member of the Communications Workers of America (CWA), and his family, producer Brett Banditelli and writer Pat LaMarche, recently embarked on a 7,800-mile cross-country trip to rediscover labor history. The Pennsylvania resident launched the trip on June 6 at the Talkers New York Conference as a way to counterbalance the domination of radio by conservative anti-labor talk radio hosts.

Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R), whose disdain for working people is no secret, last month told state Labor Department hearing officers, who decide unemployment benefit appeals, that they better start deciding more of those cases in favor of employers who want those benefits denied, the Maine Sun Journal reports.  

At that gathering, LePage scolded about eight administrative hearing officers and their supervisors, complaining that too many cases on appeal from the Bureau of Unemployment were being decided in favor of employees. He said the officers were doing their jobs poorly, sources said.

Harry Kelber, a union activist for nearly 80 years who was never shy about criticizing the union movement’s leadership—constructively, he maintained—died Sunday in New York. He was 98. On his 98th birthday in June, Kelber had announced he planned to run for the AFL-CIO presidency at the federation’s upcoming September convention.

Edith Lauterbach, the last founding member of the first union for flight attendants, died earlier this week in San Francisco. She was 91. In a statement, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA ) said:

The flight attendant community lost our hero, our guiding light….As our heavy hearts remember our friend and trailblazing founder, we reflect on Edith’s contributions to our profession and our union each and every day.

The Maine labor history mural that finally was returned to public display this month after Gov. Paul LePage (R) ordered it removed from the state Department of Labor in 2011 is attracting a steady stream of visitors at its new home. Go to the full story to see all 11 panels.