Santa Strike 1955?
In December 1955, members of the IUE Local 601 were on strike, including about 1200 workers from the Trafford Westinghouse plant. This photo of 8-year-old Nick Lovre Jr appeared in the Pittsburgh Press on December 4, 1955. The Press gave this report: Lovre went to his piggy bank and counted his horde. Although his father was on strike, it is reported the lad insists on “buying toys for the rest of the kids that won't get none."
Merchants were coming through with food for the picketers whenever they could: "We're taking care of the desperate cases, buying food, some clothing, medicine, and paying doctor's bills with union funds when asked.” In Claridge, Martin “Fats” Zackel, store owner, bagged his first deer in many years, and immediately dispatched the 195-pound buck to "the boys at the Trafford picket line."
On December 19, 1955, the Pittsburgh Press wrote, “There will be no strike for Santa Claus this Christmas in the strikebound Westinghouse Valley.” Thanks to organizations like the Valley Junior Chamber of Commerce, and the Pitcairn Penny Pot Club - Valley Jaycees were filling shopping bags with toys to be delivered to the homes of more than 2,300 children in nine communities of the Turtle Creek Valley. Parents of most of the children were Westinghouse plant employees who were jobless due to the strike.
The Press article had this humbling example of the kindness towards others during those difficult times, We made more than 400 calls to homes of Westinghouse employees to warn them we intend to bring toys, so they wouldn't worry about a lean Christmas. A lot of them told us, ‘I have a part-time job, I’ll make out. Why not take care of so-and-so. He needs help more than I do.’
