St. Petersburg sanitation strike of 1968 facts for kids

The St. Petersburg sanitation strike of 1968 was a major event in St. Petersburg, Florida. It was a work stoppage by city sanitation workers. This strike lasted for about four months, from May 6 to August 30, 1968.

This was one of three strikes by these workers in just three years. They were upset about unfair pay and bad working conditions. The 1968 strike began because of a new work schedule. This new plan cut their weekly pay.

About 211 sanitation workers took part in the strike. Almost all of them (210) were African-American. This racial difference made tensions in the city much worse.

The workers held peaceful marches and boycotts. They also picketed and formed human blockades. Sadly, some of these actions later turned violent, leading to four nights of riots. During the strike, a crew chief named Joe Savage led nearly 40 marches to City Hall. Many people were arrested during these peaceful protests.

The strike caught the eye of civil rights leaders. Both local and national groups paid attention. This made the strike a very important moment in St. Petersburg's history.

The 1968 strike started about a month after Martin Luther King Jr. was killed. He was in Memphis, Tennessee supporting a strike by black sanitation workers there. Other similar strikes were also happening in New York City and Tampa.

Why the Workers Struck

The sanitation workers' strike in 1968 happened because of changes to their work hours. This new system also changed how they were paid. Under the old plan, workers earned $101.40 for six days of work. This included extra pay for Saturdays. The new plan paid them only $73 for five days of work.

This meant a 15% pay cut per hour. It was a 28% pay cut each week. After they walked off the job, the workers demanded a 25-cent raise per hour. They said they would not return to work without it.

More Reasons for the Strike

Besides the pay cut, other issues led to the 1968 strike. A new way of collecting trash meant fewer workers were needed. The old system needed about 280 men. The new system only needed 235. Workers were told that the money saved would go to them. But they said this never happened.

Older workers worried about losing their jobs. The new trash containers were heavier and harder to handle. Strikers also said there were many "broken promises." They also wanted more respect in their jobs and from the community.

What Happened Before

Past Strikes

The 1968 strike was not the first. There had been two other sanitation worker strikes in St. Petersburg before. In 1964, a strike was quickly resolved. The city manager, Lynn Andrews, gave the workers the raises they asked for.

Then, in November 1966, another strike happened over pay. About 250 workers stopped working. Civil rights lawyers, James Sanderlin and Frank Peterman, helped the workers. They talked with the city on behalf of the Young Men's Progressive Club.

After two days, Andrews fired 70% of the sanitation workers. He hired about 140 temporary workers to replace them. Unlike the 1964 strike, Andrews hired people from out of town. These were called "scabs" or "strikebreakers". They collected garbage during the strike. After one week, Andrews agreed to raise wages. Workers would then earn more for 40 hours of work than they used to for 44 hours.

Workers Organize

In 1964, a garbage man named Joe Savage started the Young Men's Progressive Club. This group acted like a union for the sanitation workers. It did not collect union dues. It relied on donations to keep going.

To prevent violence, they formed an anti-violence committee. About 25 members worked to stop any fighting during strikes. Members usually met twice a month at the Tabernacle Baptist Church.

The Strike Unfolds

The First Week

Day 1: Monday, May 6, 1968

St. Petersburg sanitation workers went on strike. They stopped working at the Lake Maggiore sanitation center. Workers were upset about a new pay plan. They felt it did not give them the "shared savings" they were promised.

Because of these broken promises, workers demanded a 25-cent hourly raise. They would not return to work until they got it. City Manager Lynn Andrews had agreed to similar demands in past strikes. He asked the strikers to take the day off. He told them to come back Tuesday. He said he could not give them any raises right then.

Andrews called the strike a "wildcat walkout." He said it was caused by "a few unhappy workers." But Attorney James Sanderlin, who represented the strikers, quickly said that all workers wanted more pay.

At a city council meeting that night, Andrews warned workers. He said anyone who did not show up for work the next day would be fired. Andrews offered a small raise of 5 cents per hour. This was much less than the 25 cents the workers wanted. The workers decided to wait for the full amount.

Day 2: Tuesday, May 7, 1968

Fifty-two sanitation workers were fired by Andrews. They refused to go to work because no agreement had been reached. Meanwhile, garbage piled up all over St. Petersburg.

Day 3: Wednesday, May 8, 1968

The 5-cent raise offered to sanitation workers made other city departments angry. So, Andrews agreed to give the same raise to 958 other city employees. This would happen once the sanitation strike was settled. Garbage continued to go uncollected.

Day 4: Thursday, May 9, 1968

Strike leaders, including Joe Savage, told workers to go back to work. That morning, over 100 sanitation workers came to the department. Some wanted to work, but others came to protest. Police officers with riot gear were also there.

Around 7:10 a.m., the first of five garbage trucks tried to leave. Police escorted it. But protesters blocked the exit. With advice from attorney James Sanderlin and Joe Savage, the protesters let three trucks leave. Two more trucks left without trouble a bit later. These five trucks collected trash from businesses, schools, and hospitals. Most homes still had uncollected garbage.

Since only five trucks were working, Andrews let citizens dump their own garbage. Large trailers were placed at fire stations. People could also dump and burn trash for free at the Toytown landfill. This temporary plan was called "Do-It-Yourself" garbage collection.

Andrews announced that all men who did not work that day would be fired. He reportedly fired between 150 and 170 strikers that morning. Later that evening, Andrews also said he would go back to the old system. Sanitation workers would return to a six-day, 48-hour work week.

That Thursday night, attacks were reported at the homes of two sanitation workers who had worked earlier.

Day 5: Friday, May 10, 1968

Six garbage trucks were able to leave the sanitation center. An informal city council meeting was held that night, but no solution was found. Ike Williams, the President of the St. Petersburg chapter of the NAACP, organized a "freedom march" to City Hall. About 75 people marched. They were frustrated for the "jobless garbage men." Marchers chanted "We Shall Overcome" as they walked to City Hall.

Day 6: Saturday, May 11, 1968

Only ten garbage trucks left the sanitation center for a city of 181,000 people. Rotten garbage was reportedly spilling onto the streets. The strikers and city officials had not yet found a solution. Only 29 sanitation workers showed up for work.

Strikers kept gathering at the Lake Maggiore sanitation center each morning. They watched the garbage trucks leave. But talks had stopped. The strike entered its second week without an agreement. Andrews had publicly said he would not restart talks with the strikers.

By the end of May 1968, 211 sanitation workers had been fired. They refused to return to work until their demands were met. Of these, 210 were African-American. This showed the strong racial issues behind the strike.

Days Ahead

On May 23, Ike Williams started a "selective buying" campaign. He asked people to boycott white-owned businesses. Later, St. Petersburg Mayor Don Jones supported the sanitation workers.

Later in the strike, Alfred Daniel Williams King, Martin Luther King Jr.'s brother, came to St. Petersburg. He marched with Joe Savage and other peaceful protesters. They were met by riot police, and many were arrested.

Few trucks could leave the sanitation center with police escorts. So, residential trash pickup remained very slow. Most of the uncollected garbage was in the mostly African-American areas of south St. Petersburg.

Money was raised to help the strikers. Donations were collected. Attorney John Due, an organizer for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFL-CIO), gave a check to the Young Men's Progressive Club. A Garbage Men's Welfare Fund was also created. It helped the more than 200 families taking part in the strike.

Riots Break Out

Tensions grew and soon turned violent. This happened after an event involving Joseph Waller (now known as Omali Yeshitela). On August 17, 1968, reports of fires and looting came from south St. Petersburg. Nine people were hurt. Five were white and four were African-American. 150 police officers entered the riot areas. Damages were estimated to be $150,000 by then. There had been 335 fires set since the strike began on May 6. The violence continued for four more days. Because of the unrest, Andrews thought about setting a curfew. He also considered banning alcohol and gas sales in "troubled areas."

The Strike Ends

On August 30, 1968, the fired sanitation workers and City Manager Andrews reached an agreement. This ended the strike. As part of the deal, strikers would return as new employees. This meant they lost their sick pay, vacation time, and seniority. Workers would go back to a six-day, 48-hour work week. However, if a crew finished their routes early, they could clock out and still get a full day's pay. On October 1, 1968, sanitation workers received an 8-cent raise per hour. Foremen got an extra 14 cents per hour.

Key People Involved

• Lynn Andrews, City Manager
• Dan Davidson, Assistant City Manager
• James Sanderlin, lawyer for the workers
• Rev. Irvin Elligan, pastor
• Dave Welch, co-chairman of Community Alliance
• Joe Savage, sanitation crew chief
• Henry Cathirell, sanitation worker
• Fred Winters, sanitation worker
• Willie Jones, sanitation worker
• Willie McGhee, sanitation worker

Groups Involved

• National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
• Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
• Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
• Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)
• Committee of Concerned Clergymen
• American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFL-CIO)
• Greater St. Petersburg Council on Human Relations
• Junta of Militant Organization (JOMO)

What Happened Next

The returning sanitation workers did not get all the pay increases they wanted. But some people believe this strike brought the national Civil Rights Movement to St. Petersburg. It also started important talks about improving life for African-Americans in the city.

A few months after the strike ended, C. Bette Wimbish became the first African American elected to the St. Petersburg City Council.

James Sanderlin, the lawyer for the sanitation strikers, made history. He became the first African-American Pinellas County Judge in 1972. Later, he was elected to the county circuit court.