Furniture strike in Grand Rapids Michigan.

Furniture factory workers participated in a major strike in Grand Rapids, Michigan, beginning April 19, 1911 -- 110 years ago. My grandfather’s two brothers worked in the furniture factories. Jan was the first of the Raczkiewicz siblings to come to the United States. He was 22 years old when he came. He arrived in New York about a year before this strike. The first record I can find of his employment is in 1914 when he was a cabinetmaker at Phoenix Furniture Company. He also worked at Johnston Furniture Company and Joseph had a stint at Grand Rapids Piano Case Factory. I do not know if he was working in the factories when the strikes occurred but he would have benefitted later from the gains they made related to wages and working conditions. The statue commemerating this is in Ah-Nab-Awen Park near the Grand Rapids Public Museum. https://www.facebook.com/PolishHeritageSocietyGR/photos/a.265876853493179/3999200710160756/