Every Friday The Psychogenealogist shares a "Pic of the Week." The intent is to encourage thought and imagination about the spaces where psychology, genealogy, and history converge.

This week's photograph shows a small group of women and men on an employment strike.

The back says: "Hotel and Restaurant Employees and Bartenders International Union on Strike. 1937 or 1941"

You can learn more about the Hotel and Restaurant Employees and Bartenders International Union here. It appears to have been affiliate with (or a precursor to) the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO)

I was able to find some very basic information about the history of this union online. There is likely quite a bit more in this book by Matthew Josephson: Union House Union Bar: The History of the Hotel and Restaurant Employees and Bartenders International Union, AFL-CIO.

Questions:

What do you know about this Union?
Were there people in your family who were Union members during the 1930s and 1940s?
How did work conditions change during the course of your grandparents lives?
Have you heard "strike stories" in your family history?
Did certain occupations and vocations run in your family? Why or why not?

Do you have an old photograph or a genealogical story that you would like to share? I am happy to consider guest submissions for possible Pic of the Week or other blog posts in the future. Send an email to info@psychogenealogist.com for more information.

If you like what you are reading here at The Psychogenealogist please consider sharing with a friend or signing up for free below!