Furniture & Piano Movers

Red text over a black logo (with two horse heads) on a white background surrounded by a purple border with white text.  

Recognize the logo behind the year 1914?  The Furniture and Piano movers whom this button belonged to were also known as "Teamsters No. 343" and were based out of Massachusetts.  The Local’s behavior was immortalized in a case heard by the Massachusetts Superior Court.  After failing to increase wages at the request of the union, No. 343 declared a strike on May 2, 1910 against M. Steinert and Sons Company, a prominent Bostonian Steinway Pianos Piano Dealer.  11 of the protesting members disbanded thereafter, 8 finding new employment and 3 relocating away from the city.  On October 14, 1910, the members involved in the strike drove around town displaying the protesting placards on their vehicle, long after the strike ended.  The court ruled that “a decree must be entered giving to the plaintiff the relief prayed for”.  The details of the case were published and available on page 134 of Labor Bulletin, Volumes 113-118, published in 1916 by Wright & Potter.