The Strike at 40

On March 17, 1970, after years of frustration and broken promises from the Federal Government, letter carriers in New York City began a wildcat strike against the United States Post Office Department. Within days, the strike spread across the country like wildfire and mail service throughout the United States ground to a standstill. This video is the story of the brave letter carriers who risked arrest and loss of their jobs to carry out the most successful labor strike in U.S. history. After eight days, the strike was over and America's letter carriers had won not just increased wages and benefits, but the right to collective bargaining - a right that continues to this day.