The
Seattle General Strike of 1919 was a five-day
general work stoppage by more than 65,000 workers in the city of
Seattle, Washington, which lasted from February 6 to February 11 of that year. Dissatisfied workers in several
unions began the strike to gain higher wages after two years of
World War I wage controls. Most other local unions, including members of the
American Federation of Labor (AFL) and the
Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), joined the walkout. Although the strike was
non-violent and lasted less than a week, government officials, the press, and much of the public viewed the strike as a radical attempt to subvert US institutions.