lang: en
Summary
In 1933, granite workers in Barre, Vermont, struck against wage cuts and layoffs caused by the Great Depression. The strike involved picketing and community support but faced opposition from the sheriff, governor, and National Guard. The strike ended in June with workers accepting pre-strike wages, achieving only partial success.
Background
During the Great Depression, granite companies in Barre, Vermont, cut staff and offered lower pay raises, causing unrest among workers. The Stonecutters’ Union and Quarry Workers Union sought a raise in pay and an end to pay cuts and layoffs.
What happened
On 1 April 1933, workers from six of seven granite companies went on strike. [source: nv-database] Union leaders requested to police their own picket lines, but the sheriff refused and posted deputies. [source: nv-database] Citizens opposing the strike attacked protesters, and some union members responded with armed force. [source: nv-database] On 9 April, Governor Wilson ordered 150 deputies to break the strike, but the local community supported strikers with food and supplies. [source: nv-database] A federal labor committee sought an agreement. [source: nv-database] On 29 April, companies proposed the same contract the union had rejected; the Quarry Workers Union rejected it again, but the Stonecutters Union accepted on 5 May. [source: nv-database] The National Guard intervened on 8 May, causing many strikers to retreat, and most quarries resumed operations. [source: nv-database] The strike ended by 1 June with workers accepting pre-strike wages. [source: nv-database] Court cases continued until August [source: nv-database].
Key people & organizations
- Stonecutters’ Union
- Quarry Workers Union
- Washington County Sheriff’s office
- Vermont Governor Stanley C. Wilson
- Barre-based Granite Companies
- National Guard
- ACLU
- Vermont Federation of Labor
Tactics used
The campaign combined a generalized strike with picketing to disrupt granite production, while coalition-building with local civilians and organizations provided material and moral support. [source: nv-database]
Outcome
Verdict: partial.
The strike achieved only partial success: workers did not secure a raise or stop pay cuts, but they survived as a union and maintained some solidarity. The intervention of the National Guard and the split between the two unions weakened the campaign. [source: nv-database]
Lessons
- Internal unity among different unions is critical to sustaining a strike.
- Community support can provide essential resources and legitimacy to a labor action.
- Government intervention, such as deploying deputies or the National Guard, can quickly suppress a strike.
Sources
- Global Nonviolent Action Database —
[[nv-database]]
Disclaimer: Included as a teaching example of campaign craft, not as endorsement.
Sources & verification
nv-database— grounding: primary — license: link-only- Rewritten: 2026-06-25 via
worker_casestudies_v2.py